Parliament’s budget session ended in a flurry last week as the government scrambled to secure the passage of its schools funding plan. In the early hours of Friday it secured enough Senate votes to pass the bill. The price was an additional $5 billion over 10 years.
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It became interesting when the Greens reneged on their original commitment to the PM’s so-called Gonski II. The Greens’ back-down came after internal party revolt.
With Labor opposed to the bill, the government needed votes from all Senate cross-benchers. It did so by offering more money. The problem is, the 10 year funding proposal remains $15 billion less than the original Gonski proposal i.e. much less than Gonski said was necessary to provide kids with the education standard needed to restore international competitiveness and give every child the best chance in life.
It's good our opposition secured the additional $5 billion but it is not enough. Don’t worry about the claim more is not affordable, dumping all or some of the proposed corporate tax cuts would pay for it. So too would Labor’s proposed changes to negative gearing and capacitance gains tax.
The other big issue that wasn’t debated before parliament rose was proposed citizenship law changes. I think the PM may be having second thoughts, and so he should!
The proposals are populist and wrong. The overwhelming majority of migrants who come to Australia are not refugees. Most come under “skilled” visa categories. Living here for four years before applying for citizenship has always been a requirement. The government's proposal is to insist a resident is here for four years on a permanent residency visa rather than four years on a combination of visas; e.g. two years on a work visa and two years on a residency visa.
The proposal to make the language test harder is silly. If you moved to France would you want to learn French? Of course. But it wouldn't be easy, even at a basic level.
Given all those who apply for citizenship have already been granted permission to live here permanently, what’s the point in making it harder for them to become citizens? In the end it will create two classes of residents, those who are citizens and those who can't be. It's a sure way to create division and resentment. It makes no sense.
NSW Governor David Hurley deserves praise for making regular visits to regional towns. Mr Hurley hosted a large group at a reception in Cessnock last Friday night. It was a successful and enjoyable evening.
