MINISTER HUTCHINS (Minister for Industrial Relations) — I would like to update the house on a new initiative, and that is today’s release of the My School data, which has a direct impact on how many schools are doing an excellent job of getting the most out of what they can in educating our kids. I know from my role in assisting the Minister for Education on the negotiation of the current teachers enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) that at the forefront of teachers’ minds is not just their pay but how the broader conditions help them deliver quality education. That EBA that is currently under negotiation is likely to run into the years 2018 and 2019. I know that the My School data places very important emphasis on the resourcing of teachers and helping our schools, improving our state levels of education. The new schools data, combined with the decision by the federal government to walk away from Gonski in 2018–19, will have a very big impact on these current negotiations.

Members will be aware that much of the discussion occurring as we bargain in good faith with the Australian Education Union is about how education is delivered. Teachers are coming to the table with some pretty great ideas, and we are considering those. That is why it is clear to me that by short-changing Victorian students by $1.1 billion in 2018–19 Malcolm Turnbull will be hurting teachers and hurting students. Before the last election the Liberals promised that they would not cut education and that they would honour their full commitment to Gonski, yet walking away from the deal means a cut of $1 billion to Victorian schools. One school in my electorate alone, Copperfield College, is at risk of losing up to $3 million in those two years. Ripping money out of schools hurts students — —

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER — Order! The Leader of the House will come to order!

Mr Wakeling — On a point of order, Speaker, on the basis of relevance. The minister is meant to be raising new — —

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER — Order! The member for Ferntree Gully is entitled to silence on a point of order. The Chair is unable to hear him.

Mr Wakeling — The minister is meant to be talking about new initiatives and projects and achievements. The minister referred to election commitments at the last election. Maybe I could call on the minister to explain why they have walked away from their commitment to fund the final two months of Gonski — —

The SPEAKER — Order! The member for Ferntree Gully will resume his seat. The minister to continue, in silence.

Ms HUTCHINS — Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants an agile and innovative Australia, but by cutting funding and short-changing Victorian students and teachers he is going to deliver the absolute reverse of that.