Question Time AU

General Debate

Education

House of Representatives · Tuesday 11 February 2025

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

Allegra Spender addressed education issues in Wentworth, highlighting the lack of public high school options and tabling a petition for a new school. She argued for maintaining full Gonski funding for all schools and called for earlier release of capacity to contribute scores to provide financial certainty for independent schools. Spender also advocated for reforms to HECS-HELP indexation, better treatment of student debt by financial institutions, and the abolition of the JobReady Graduates program.

Outcome

Leave was granted to table the petition regarding the new public high school.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Allegra Spender (Wentworth) (Independent) Ind

Spender argued that public high school options in Sydney's east are insufficient, citing a survey where three-quarters of parents desired a co-ed public high school. Spender noted that recent boundary changes for Inner Sydney High School had caused community outrage and reduced access for some families. Spender tabled a petition signed by over 3,000 residents calling for a new public high school in the area. Spender emphasized the need for both state and federal governments to act before available land is developed.