How Birmingham unleashed his inner Underwood

• ANALYSIS

George Christensen agreeing with Sarah Hanson-Young. Labor defending wealthy private schools. What on earth is going on?

'A lemon': NBN dumps $800 million cable plan

NBN dumps plan less than a year after vigorously denying reports the network it purchased from Optus was in a dire state.

Revealed: the nation's most 'over-funded' schools

Elite private schools receiving taxpayer funding almost three times as generous as they are entitled to.

Private schools issue warning over funding

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.

Conroy to maintain NBN document fight in retirement

Stephen Conroy finishes his 20-year Senate career on Friday, but has one piece of unfinished business.

Post-Gonski school funding talks off to fiery start

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.

Government lays down post-Gonski challenge to states

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.

Joyce says he doesn't want Christensen to leave Coalition

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.

New data shows pay for teachers peaks after 10 years

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.