Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Minister for Education and Training) (14:53): I am happy to inform the Senate that, overall, funding for students with disability grows across Australia, and it grows by an estimated 5.9 per cent per annum as a result of the reforms that the Turnbull government is proposing. Senator Jacinta Collins: The number of students doubled too Senator BIRMINGHAM: Indeed, as Senator Collins just interjected, the number of students identified under our proposed consistent methodology as students with disability also increases. Currently around 212,000 students across Australia attract what is a one-size-fits-all disability loading. It is based on different definitions from state to state. Our reforms will apply the new nationally consistent definition of students with disability, and, in doing so, that number of students who are in the different categories that attract loadings will increase from 212,000 students to 470,000 students. And there are changes to— The PRESIDENT: Order! Pause the clock. A point of order, Senator Gallagher? Senator Gallagher: Yes, a point of order on direct relevance again. It is a very specific question for the minister about confirming whether, in relation to Tasmania, funding for students with a disability will decrease next year by one-third. It is a very straightforward question to answer. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator. The minister is giving general information about the overall national package, and I am sure he will come to the question in relation to Tasmania. Senator BIRMINGHAM: That general information was also very specific to students with disability. To give the context, there is a transition across all states, including Tasmania, from a specific state definition into application of the national arrangement. In relation to how funding is applied, the loading for students with disability is just one of the many components that make up funding for systems across Australia. In relation to funding for Tasmania, I can confirm for the Senate that funding for Tasmanian government students is forecast to grow from $183 million in 2017 to $190 million next year, and, again, will continue to grow. The Tasmanian government system—as, indeed, all Tasmanian school systems who will see funding growth under these reforms— The PRESIDENT: A point of order, Senator Brown? Senator Carol Brown: My point of order is on relevance. The minister has 11 seconds to go. I want to know whether the disability loading in Tasmania will decrease in 2018 by $12 million. That is my question. The PRESIDENT: I was interrupted during the answer, but I thought I did hear him say something specifically about Tasmania. Minister, you have 11 seconds in which to answer the question. Senator BIRMINGHAM: Mr President, you did hear me highlight very specifically that disability loading is a part of the total funding pool for Tasmanian schools. That total funding pool rose year on year, into the future. The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown, a supplementary question.