I've been visiting our local schools in Macarthur for over 40 years in my role as a paediatrician, often for case conferences about my particular patients who had complex neurological and medical needs. I've always been impressed by the dedication, ability and passion for education of our local teachers to make sure that our students got the best education possible.

Last week, I met with four local public school teachers from the Macarthur area: Teresa Calder, Tom Gough, Sara Priestley and David Atkins. They had come to me to discuss what I already knew from my school visits and what I'm still seeing—that is, that our local public schools are very run-down compared to many of the private schools scattered around Sydney. Some of these private schools have unbelievable infrastructure—indoor Olympic pools, indoor tennis courts, multifunctional drama centres, outdoor education centres and even equestrian centres. It's unbelievable infrastructure. The inequity is completely gobsmacking. It is unfair, it is not right and our government is addressing it.

In May 2023 Jason Clare, the education minister, made a commitment at the New South Wales Teachers Federation's annual Principals' Conference, co-signed with Deputy Premier Car, to work with the New South Wales government to ensure that every New South Wales public school is on a path to reach 100 per cent of the school resource funding standard. To deliver this commitment, the Commonwealth funding to public schools would need an extra $4.1 billion for New South Wales public schools alone.

I'm proud to be part of a government that understands the importance of education, from early childhood education, where we've just delivered a significant 15 per cent pay rise to early childhood education teachers, to primary school and high school. The Productivity Commission recently found that the equity gap in schools widened markedly under the coalition's schools agreement signed by the then member for Cook. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds were found to be three times more likely to fall behind, and 86,000 students didn't meet either the basic literacy or the numeracy standard. It's clear that students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, were being left behind under the previous government's schools agreement.

We live in a world where every single new job that's created will require students to finish school and go to TAFE or university. That's why the Albanese Labor government is determined to help students from all backgrounds to catch up, keep up and stay in school. This requires significant infrastructure improvements as well as improvements in teachers' pay and conditions. The Albanese government is working with the states and territories to get every school to 100 per cent of its fair funding level under the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement.

These negotiations are ongoing. A couple of weeks ago, Minister Clare released the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. It sets out reforms that will help close the education gap, including a year 1 phonics check and early-years-of-schooling numeracy check to identify students who need help. It includes evidence based teaching and targeted and intensive supports such as small group or catch-up tutoring to help students who fall behind. It also includes greater wellbeing support for learning and engagement throughout our public school system, including through full-service schools, counsellors, wellbeing coordinators and mental health workers.

It's very important that our Schools Upgrade Fund continues on, and the Albanese government is committed to this, investing $275 million through the Schools Upgrade Fund to improve school facilities, to help keep students and school staff safe and to get kids' education back on track after 10 years of neglect from those opposite. Over 1,500 schools are benefiting from the targeted first open round of the Schools Upgrade Fund. All this is being done to make sure our public schools can keep up with the private schools around all our major cities. It is very important that this inequity is changed and that equitable school funding agreements are reached. We have to work with the states and territories to make sure this happens. We cannot continue to see the inequity in school resourcing and school infrastructure that has been allowed to develop over the last 20 years. I thank the House.