AMANDA:
Let’s see what gets the Ghoulies of Malcolm from Canberra. Hello Malcolm, what gets your Ghoulies?
PRIME MINISTER:
The years of inconsistent and unfair school funding gets my Ghoulies. Or it got my Ghoulies until 2 o’clock this morning. We’ve changed it and made it right.
[Laughter]
AMANDA:
Good morning Prime Minister. Now how does this happen? Because I know you’re all about to go on your six week winter break, so it had to be resolved last night. But how can you do any thinking at 2am in the morning?
PRIME MINISTER:
You just have to stay alert all the time but you know it is a great win for kids, it’s a great win for schools.
What we’ve delivered here is one of the biggest reforms - I would say - at the federal level, the biggest reform to education in our nation’s history.
We’re investing an extra $23 billion in schools over the next decade but for the first time every student in every state in every school will benefit from genuine needs-based funding.
So the money the Labor Party had under Gillard, you know, they had 27 different deals with different school systems, different jurisdictions which were all inconsistent.
What we’re replacing that is with a single national, consistent, transparent needs-based model. It’s a really big reform. Massive.
JONES:
Extraordinary. You know it’s extraordinary how much you sound like the Prime Minister Malcolm. It’s amazing!
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
That’s right.
AMANDA:
I’ll tell you what, it was quite momentous last night because we had Larissa Waters from the Greens breastfeeding as the vote was going down. She’s the first politician to do that. Did you look at that and think: ‘I’m starving, let’s get some pizza’?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, look, seeing mothers with babies like that, it just melts my heart. I think it’s wonderful. The more kids we have around the House down here in Canberra the better.
JONESY:
Exactly. Well you go and get some shut-eye Prime Minister!
AMANDA:
What are you going to do in your six weeks off?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well look I am going to take a little time off with Lucy, a little break.
But it’s work - I mean we’ll be going to the G20 in Germany which is the big international meeting of the top 20 economies. But also the reality is that politicians probably work harder and do more, or certainly they work as hard but certainly do a lot more miles when Parliament is not sitting because you’re running around the countryside even if it’s just your electorate. It is a very busy job being an MP or a Senator.
JONESY:
Will you be wearing lederhosen when you’re over in Germany? I can imagine Donald Trump and you standing there side by side in lederhosen.
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I think I’ll stick to my regular routine of suits. The exotic attire is best left to others.
AMANDA:
Don’t they force you to wear something though when you go to those G-meetings?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah sometimes they have some sort of item of clothing that everyone wears but you know, the reality is that the G20 is focused on economic growth, as we are, and it will be focused on issues of trade, and how do we make sure we keep the global economy moving – that’s what is critical.
You know, everything we are doing here, Amanda, is focused on securing our future. So, you know, we talked about schools a moment ago and the new funding arrangements which are for the first time consistent and needs-based et cetera, but the next stage is to ensure that we get the quality outcomes from that investment. Gonski 2.0 has David Gonski chairing the second stage of his work which is going to be focused on how we use that extra money to get the better educational outcomes for our kids because we have over many years been spending more on schools but we have not been getting better results.
JONESY:
There you go. Well, when you see Donald just say: ‘Oh mate you didn’t see that thing I did at the Ball.’
AMANDA:
Look at my lederhosen instead!
JONESY:
Have a look at my lederhosen, Donald!
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, that’s right – okay.
AMANDA:
Well we appreciate you calling in.
JONESY:
Yes.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah it’s great to talk. Okay thanks a lot.
[ENDS]