Category: Media releases

Save Our Schools today warned that public schools in NSW and Queensland could lose nearly $40 billion in funding over the next ten years if the stand-off between the Albanese Government and the NSW and Queensland governments is not resolved. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said the failure to agree to fully fund public schools in the two states is “disgraceful” and will be “catastrophic” for public schools, particularly for disadvantaged students.

Continue reading “NSW & Qld Public Schools Will Lose Billions if Stand-Off Continues”

Save Our Schools today accused the Labor Government and the Liberal-National Coalition of colluding to prevent full funding of public schools. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that Albanese Government and the Opposition are on “a unity ticket to defraud public schools of billions in funding over the next five years”.

Mr. Cobbold said that Government and Coalition Senators last night voted down amendments moved by the Greens education spokesperson, Senator Allman-Payne, to ensure that public schools will be fully funded at 100% of their Schooling Resource Standard (SRS).

Continue reading “Labor and the Coalition Are On a Unity Ticket to Defraud Public Schools of Billions in Funding”

Public schools potentially stand to lose nearly $30 billion in funding over the next five years if the stand-off between the Commonwealth and five states is not resolved. National Convenor of Save Our Schools, Trevor Cobbold, said failure to agree on future funding will be catastrophic for public schools.

“Public schools could be denied up to $28.1 billion in funding if the states refusing to sign a new funding agreement choose not to increase their share of funding the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS).”

“Public schools in NSW would miss out on $8.7 billion, those in Victoria and Queensland $8.4 billion, $2 billion in South Australia and $0.6 billion in Tasmania. The ACT is also refusing to sign but it is not under-funded.”

Mr. Cobbold said that public schools could miss out on billions in funding because the existing funding agreements will be rolled over if the recalcitrant states refuse to sign the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement 2025-2034.

Continue reading “Public Schools Could Lose Nearly $30 Billion if Funding Stand-Off Continues”

The public education advocacy group Save Our Schools has accused the Prime Minister of lying about the future funding of Western Australian public schools. “It is a blatant lie to claim that WA public schools will be fully funded under the new schools agreement”, said SOS National Convenor Trevor Cobbold.

“Far from being fully funded by 2026, WA public schools will be under-funded by about $1.6 billion over the next five years. WA public schools will be funded at slightly less than 96% of their Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) in 2026 and remain so until at least 2029.

Continue reading “WA Public Schools Defrauded by New Funding Agreement”

Save Our Schools (SOS) today called on the Commonwealth and state governments to end their stand-off on school funding. National Convenor of SOS, Trevor Cobbold,  said:  

“This disgraceful squabbling over cost-shifting by governments threatens the future education and lives of millions of students. It puts at risk government goals of increasing Year 12 completion rates and participation in tertiary education.

Continue reading “End the Stand-Off On School Funding and Adopt SOS 3-Point Plan”

Save Our Schools calls on the Federal Government to investigate the funding of the Exclusive Brethren school, OneSchool Global NSW. National Convenor of SOS, Trevor Cobbold, said that the revelations in The Guardian warrant a full Government inquiry into the legitimacy of Federal funding of the school. “The available figures strongly suggest that OneSchool Global NSW is being funded at a much higher level than is warranted.”

Mr. Cobbold said several aspects of taxpayer funding of OneSchool Global NSW warrant an investigation.

Continue reading “Call For Govt Investigation of Funding of Exclusive Brethren School”

 Today’s announcement that the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments will each increase funding for Western Australian public schools by 2.5% of their Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) is a significant step forward. The Commonwealth is to be congratulated for breaking with the arbitrary limit on its funding of public schools set by the Turnbull Government. It is particularly pleasing that disadvantaged schools will be fully funded by 2026.

However, the new agreement has let the WA Government off the hook.  It has cut its funding share for public schools from 84.4% of their SRS in 2018 to 75% in 2024. It has also used accounting tricks to defraud public schools of another 4.4% of their SRS. The accounting tricks are retained in the new agreement and ensure the WA public schools will continue to be under-funded until at least 2029.

Continue reading “Funding Agreements Need to do Better for Public Schools”