The NSW government has launched an extraordinary attack on the federal government over education funding, calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to personally intervene to repair the relationship between the two Coalition governments.
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School funding explained
Why school funding is set to become one of the most important debates in Australian politics.
In explosive remarks made before the NSW Primary Principals' Association on Wednesday, NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli accused the federal government of abandoning a troubled seven-year-old child, who recently lost a relative in a murder, by not guaranteeing enough future funding to wrap services around him.
He claimed the Commonwealth's commitment to funding $1.2 billion or only a third of the original needs-based Gonski agreement signed between the state's and the federal government had now put the child's future at risk.
Mr Piccoli's federal Coalition colleague, Education Minister Simon Birmingham fired back at Mr Piccoli on Wednesday, accusing him of "ruthlessly preying on the fears of parents with vulnerable students to try and score political points".
The boy, who Mr Piccoli referred to as Jake, has been suspended 11 times this year for his aggressive behaviour.
"Jake's attendance has never been great at the best of times," Mr Piccoli told the audience of more than 500 primary NSW principals.
"But these aren't the best of times for Jake. In the middle of last term a close relative of his was murdered, which led to five weeks off school. At seven he is already roaming the streets in bad company.
"On the plus side, dad's at home at the moment. He got out of jail recently and is the only person who can control his behaviour. "
Mr Piccoli said Jake's school was in line to receive additional funding for frontline services that would allow teachers to guide his future. He said his work showed his potential.
"The writing Jake showed me had the sorts of things teachers look for, capital letters and full stops," said Mr Piccoli.
"His story was simple – but depressing. My dad gave me a heap of money, my mum bludged it off me to buy beer."
Mr Piccoli said he would fight Mr Birmingham for continued funding to protect the future of students like Jake.
"I am not going to stand by and let boys and girls like Jake be short-changed," he said. "The dollars are vital. The only chance the school has to work and to keep him on tasks so that other students have a chance to learn is to have an extra teacher in the room for at least the first couple of hours a day."
On Wednesday, Mr Birmingham said the conversation had "sunk to a new low" and emphasised there were no cuts to school funding citing the federal government's growing investment in schools from about $16 billion in 2016 to $20.1 billion by 2020.
"While there has been much chest beating from Minister Piccoli over the years, politicising a young and vulnerable child like this is something I won't enter into and I am sure Premier Baird would never engage in, nor condone such an approach."
Mr Baird introduced Mr Piccoli to the audience of principals on Wednesday. "[He will] have some words to say to our federal government," Mr Baird said.
The final round of Gonski federal funding agreed to by Mr Birmingham and Mr Turnbull is due to finish next year. Negotiations between the states and the federal government reached a stalemate at a meeting of all the education ministers in September.
While Mr Piccoli has called for Mr Turnbull to intervene, the Prime Minister has taken a role in negotiations and been seen publicly with Mr Birmingham at funding announcements over the past year. Mr Turnbull has been contacted for comment.