Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Minister for Education and Training) (14:00): I thank the senator for her question, particularly in light of the decision the Senate made earlier today to progress the government's school funding reforms to the next stage of debate. I am pleased to inform the Senate, and Senator O'Neill in particular, that the government is delivering additional funding to all Australian school systems—in particular, the Catholic school system, which she asked about, which will grow, as I have told the Senate before, by $3.4 billion over the duration of the proposed 10-year arrangements the government has outlined. In relation to the specific question that Senator O'Neill has asked, I am equally pleased to make it clear to Senator O'Neill and all senators that our commitment to ensure that, at the end of a transition period, there is consistency, equity and application of a needs based arrangement is absolutely resolute. The Turnbull government's approach to ensure consistency of treatment at the end of the transition period— The PRESIDENT: Order! Pause the clock. Senator O'Neill, a point of order. Senator O'Neill: Mr President, on relevance: we only have 53 seconds. We have heard the word 'transition', and that is all we know about the deal. The question was: has the minister now done a special deal and, if so, what is it? There has got to be more detail than the one word 'transition'. The PRESIDENT: I will remind the minister of the question. Senator BIRMINGHAM: Senator O'Neill asked a question about special deals. She asked whether there would be different deals. The point I was making is that our commitment, as has been the case all along, is to ensure that, in the end, we have consistent needs-based funding across all school systems across Australia. I have equally been very transparent— The PRESIDENT: Order! Pause the clock. Senator O'Neill, a point of order. Senator O'Neill: Mr President, I again draw your attention to the fact that the question was very clear in asking whether a special deal has been done. The minister has not addressed that question. The PRESIDENT: Senator O'Neill, I agreed with your point of order on the first occasion; I do not on this occasion. The minister has been directly relevant. Senator BIRMINGHAM: Our intention is absently clear: consistent treatment in terms of needs based funding. We have, as I was indicating, been very clear as well that we will deliver and make sure we talk constructively with all different parties and sectors to ensure they are comfortable about the process under which that transition occurs to get to that point of consistent, equitable treatment. (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator O'Neill, a supplementary question.