Schools in Bathurst have been looked after by their Nationals representation during the Gonski school funding roll-out.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In a Sydney Morning Herald analysis, Nationals electorates – including those covering Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo – were among the biggest winners in the first years of Gonski funding.
Since the Gonski needs-based funding began in 2014, the federal seat of Calare received $16.17 million under its representatives John Cobb and Andrew Gee.
It was the 10th highest out of 47 federal electorates in NSW, while the Riverina was 11th with $15.40 million.
However, Mark Coulton’s federal seat of Parkes had the highest level of funding with $29.62 million.
When it came to state funding, the seat of Orange held by Phil Donato from the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party had $8 million in funding, $3 million more than the next highest funded electorate not represented by the Coalition or Labor.
However, the majority of that Orange funding would have been made before Mr Donato’s November 2016 byelection victory, and was equal to the $8 million given to Local Government minister Paul Toole’s seat of Bathurst.
Dubbo, held by former deputy premier Troy Grant, had the lion’s share of funding with $11 million.
NSW Education Minister and Nationals member Adrian Piccoli said Gonski was designed to go to areas of highest need to make up for historical under-funding, which particularly affected regional areas.
