![Education Simon Birmingham has unleashed his inner Frank Underwood to kick-start the schools funding debate.](/web/20161001055600im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/4/2/4/v/image.related.landscape.460x307.grsgut.png/1475266218318.jpg)
How Birmingham unleashed his inner Underwood
George Christensen agreeing with Sarah Hanson-Young. Labor defending wealthy private schools. What on earth is going on?
Matthew Knott is a political reporter in the Canberra bureau covering communications and education policy.
George Christensen agreeing with Sarah Hanson-Young. Labor defending wealthy private schools. What on earth is going on?
NBN dumps plan less than a year after vigorously denying reports the network it purchased from Optus was in a dire state.
Elite private schools receiving taxpayer funding almost three times as generous as they are entitled to.
The powerful private schools sector has warned the Turnbull government not to use it as an "easy target" for cuts after Education Minister Simon Birmingham said some schools are over-funded and may need to have their federal funding reduced.
Stephen Conroy finishes his 20-year Senate career on Friday, but has one piece of unfinished business.
The Turnbull government could face a fierce battle with the Senate, as well as the states and territories, as it seeks to replace Labor's Gonski agreements with a new school funding model.
It is time to end years of rancorous debate about about whether the federal government should fund the final years of the Gonski deals and begin work on a new school funding model, according to the Turnbull government.
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has described George Christensen as a "very strong player" in the Nationals and says it is important the rebel backbencher not abandon the party and follow in the footsteps of Bob Katter.
Australia has one of the flattest pay structures for school teachers of the world's advanced economies, offering little monetary reward for high-performing or highly experienced teachers.
Fresh from engineering a big backdown on superannuation policy, George Christensen is full of praise for the PM.
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