Problems started with Howard

In education, Howard dramatically increased federal funding to private schools ,which they largely spent on non-educational luxuries. He starved public schools. The result is the worsening scores Australia gets on national and international testing. Again, it has been difficult to unwind because of the demand that "no school should be worse off", which Julia Gillard was forced to accede to. Now we have to endure the atrocious Pyne and Birmingham ministries and their 'fake Gonski' reforms which mean private schools get more money at the expense of public schools and there will be little Shorten can do about it.