Richard Teese writes in The Conversation (7.1.16):
‘States alone cannot fund the effort required to address achievement differences. But the Commonwealth can and will outlay more on private schooling for ideological as well as political motives. This will increase social inequality.
‘Reducing support for government schools and lifting support for non-government schools will fuel demand for Catholic and other private schools, as occurred during the Howard years.
‘With Gonski gone, we are at risk of giving up the great gains in social cohesion which public schooling delivered during the decades of post-war growth.’