Senator STERLE (Western Australia) (16:35): It does give me great pleasure to rise and contribute to this debate. I'm not sure if Senator Henderson is the shadow minister for this area—I know she's the shadow minister for something. I hope you're not, because half of what you said are absolute falsities. I'll put that through you, Chair. It's just absolutely ridiculous. We're cleaning up the mess that your lot made—Morrison's leftovers. So you get your five or 10 minutes to make all your statements that you can't back up. Half of them aren't even truthful. But I will have a go; we'll lay some facts on the table. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Bilyk ): Senator Sterle, resume your seat for one moment. Senator Henderson. Senator Henderson: Point of order— Senator Sterle interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Sterle, please be seated. Senator Henderson. Senator Henderson: Firstly, for the senator's benefit, I am the shadow minister for education, and, secondly— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: That's not a point of order. Senator Henderson: I would ask him to withdraw his reflection on me. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Sterle, in the interest of goodwill, could you withdraw please? Senator STERLE: For you, Madam Deputy President, I would do anything. So I will withdraw that— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Sterle. Please continue. Senator STERLE: because I like you; you're one of the good ones. I just want to make it quite clear. I don't know about the rest of anyone in this building, but I came through the public school system, and I'm quite proud of going through the public school system. I think there are many, many fine Australians who have come through the public school system. I didn't go through the private system, not because I didn't want to but because my parents couldn't afford it. It is quite simple, and I'm not ashamed of that. I was rapt to go through Langford Primary School and Thornlie Senior High School—not a problem. So it does grieve me when we hear those on the other side—and the Greens—who can't wait to pull the class wars out. Some of the debates in this place in the last year have just been the worst in my 19 years. But, anyway, it happens; I've got to put up with it. It's unbelievable. Senator Allman-Payne: Why isn't the Assistant Minister for Education speaking on this topic? Senator STERLE: There's nothing better than having a working class background and going through a public school— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Allman-Payne, could you stop interjecting? Senator STERLE: Sorry, is there an echo in here? Is the room echoing? The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Sorry, Senator Sterle. Continue. Senator STERLE: They can't take it. This is the problem when you come in here for a balanced debate, when people start putting out falsities. Senator Allman-Payne: It's a valid question. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Resume your seat, Senator Sterle, please— Senator STERLE: Again? The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Yes, sorry. Senator Allman-Payne, you were listened to in silence. Please give the other senators the same courtesy. Senator Sterle. Senator STERLE: I really do appreciate that protection. Thank you so much. So I have to say this very clearly. It made me feel so proud to be part of the Albanese government when the Albanese government negotiated with a grown-up government, the Western Australian government. It is absolutely lifting that that fantastic state over there, full of its teachers and a great government, could actually sit down—don't shake your head—and have deals being done. What we do know is that the schools should be funded by the states. That's their job. The states need to do the public funding. The model was this: 75 per cent by the feds, 20 per cent by the states and five per cent just left out there floating. But the Western Australian government, under the best premier in this nation and the best premier Western Australia— Senator Allman-Payne: Thank you for putting that on the record, Senator Sterle! It's an artificial cap. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Allman-Payne, if I can hear you, your interjections are way too loud. Please desist. Sorry, Senator Sterle. Senator STERLE: Thank goodness you're here, Chair; this is really putting me off! But what actually happened was that no-one wanted to pay the other five per cent—the mess we got left from that side over there. So the grown-ups got in the room, and the minister in Western Australia, Minister Tony Buti, and Minister Clare here in the grown-up government in Canberra got together and nutted out an agreement. The feds agreed to continue their 75 per cent, plus 2½ per cent. The states shook hands and said the states would pick up the other 2½ per cent. I don't know, Senator Allman-Payne, your background—I know you were a teacher—but I actually had my own small business, and I've been around a little bit in my one industry. Half of the successes that we have are when you actually sit down like grown-ups and you negotiate. Instead, we have seen state ministers throwing their dummies out of the cot because they don't want to pay their half of the five per cent or to negotiate. It is all very well to kick and scream and carrying on. What is wrong with grown-ups coming to a negotiation? When all is said and done, I have a different view of the world from the Greens because of my business background and my working class background. My wife and I had a trucking business. When we wrote a cheque and made the decision that we were going to invest in a new truck or put in a gearbox, we actually paid with our own money. So we get that. We understand that when you start talking about dollars they've got to come from somewhere. Unfortunately, the Greens have not been in the real world—most of them. I'll take that back because Senator Whish-Wilson has got a fantastic background, and he's done a bit. The rest don't come from the real world. You've never had to do anything with your own money in a business. If you ever knew how to run a business— Senator Allman-Payne interjecting— Senator Hodgins-May: She's a teacher! The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Bilyk ): Senator Allman-Payne, I have not given you the call. There have been very loud interjections from both of you up that end. Please desist. Senator Allman-Payne: A point of order: the senator is making a poor reflection on me. By singling out Senator Whish-Wilson, he's made it very clear— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order. People listened to you in silence; please show the same courtesy to other people. It's not difficult. Senator Sterle, please continue. You've got 22 seconds. Senator STERLE: Thank you, very much. I am happy to say one thing. The Western Australian government and the federal Albanese government have done a deal. The grown-ups were put in the room, and it's about time the states actually sat down and negotiated in all fairness too. Stop trying to run the divide. It's typical of the Greens to have conflict. You're not happy unless you're stirring up conflict. Thank God, you'll never be in government! (Time expired)