Labor's education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek published a Facebook post stating: "The Liberals are cutting $22 billion from schools. That's like sacking 22,000 teachers." She told the media: "Mr Turnbull revealed $22 billion worth of cuts to school funding over the next 10 years. That means cuts to funding for schools in the country and the city, big schools and little schools, schools from battling postcodes." With a Government touting record levels of education spending, and an Opposition speaking of cuts, what is the reality? RMIT ABC Fact Check found Ms Plibersek's claim is misleading: the Government is not cutting $22 billion from schools. Commonwealth budgets set out spending over a four year period. According to the 2017-18 budget Commonwealth schools funding will continue to rise every year. And a recent projection released by the Government predicts that funding will continue to increase over the next ten years. The analogy to sacking teachers is also misleading. Employing 22,000 teachers over 10 years may well cost around $22 billion, but given there is no reduction in existing funding, 22,000 teachers would not have to be "sacked".
Verdict: Misleading