In the wake of the Bondi terror attacks, it’s very easy to overlook our strengths as a nation. That was a horrific day—one of the worst in recent Australian history. In the immediate aftermath, many of us wondered whether our better angels would triumph, or whether we would degenerate into religious and ethnic tension.
But for the tens of thousands of New South Wales public school teachers resuming classes this week, the resilience and robustness of Australian society came as no surprise. We see the great cultural melting pot in action every day.
For decades, we’ve watched child refugees, recent migrants and Indigenous kids scale heights that once seemed insurmountable. Today, that legacy continues in classrooms where over 1 in 3 students come from homes where a language other than English is spoken. We see kids from war-torn countries take their place among fifth-generation Anglo kids, whether in an English class or on the sporting field, quickly finding their place and a purpose in their new home. Many fete the great ‘miracle’ of Australian multiculturalism, but really, it’s not much of a miracle at all when you think about it. It’s actually the result of tireless work and dedication. It’s a terrific return on investment in our public sector, creating an inclusive and humanising effect of shared spaces where every child, regardless of background, is valued equally.
Public schools are the primary institution where social inclusion is built in this country. They’re where difference becomes accepted as the norm, where prejudice breaks down through daily interaction, and where Australian identity is forged not through rhetoric but through shared experience. When children learn together, play together, and grow together, they develop bonds that transcend the divisions adults too often construct.
Yet we have to defend this precious and delicate alchemy. The relentless push for “choice” in education sounds appealing in theory, but in practice, it is driving a process of “social division.” Underfunding the public school system responsible for serving all and overfunding the private alternatives established on the basis of excluding many, weakens social inclusion and widens the socioeconomic gap across our communities.
We welcome the joint commitment by the Albanese and Minns governments to set public schools on a path to full funding. It will make a massive difference to every public school.
And not too soon after decades of the accelerated overfunding of private education at the expense of the public system spearheaded by John Howard and continued by conservative governments that followed. A funding regime that divided communities rather than uniting them.
Accordingly, Australia now has one of the most segregated school systems in the developed world, according to OECD data. Families feel there is a choice to be made to secure a quality education for their children. This is really coercion dressed up in market language.
The result is a vicious cycle. As resources flow to private schools through unjustified government subsidies, public schools are left to do more with less. Currently, a staggering 98% of public schools in Australia are funded below the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS)—the minimum level agreed upon by governments as necessary to meet student needs. Meanwhile, the vast majority of private schools meet or exceed that 100% threshold. This is a fundamental betrayal of the Australian social compact. Public services should be first-class for everyone—not a safety net for those who can’t afford better, but the standard to which we all aspire.
As a nation, we are all wealthier, happier and more cohesive when we advance together. The countries that consistently outperform all other OECD countries in education— Estonia and Singapore —share a common characteristic: strong, well-funded public education systems that serve the vast majority of students. They understand that excellence is not achieved by creating hierarchies, or dividing communities, but by ensuring every school has the resources to deliver outstanding outcomes.
When we fully fund public schools so that all kids get a good start in life, everyone benefits. The engineer’s child and the cleaner’s child sit side by side, building relationships that will serve them throughout their lives. This is how functioning democracies are built. As students return to school this week, they’ll enter classrooms more diverse than at any point in our history, taught by teachers who understand their work extends beyond literacy and numeracy, is inclusive of the development of critical and creative thinking, and builds the shared understanding that makes true democracy possible.
This is the Australia that works. This is the return on investment that previous generations made in public services. If we want that resilience to continue—if we want future generations to respond to crisis with the same solidarity we saw at Bondi—we need to properly support public institutions that make social inclusion and cohesion possible. The choice we face is between a society where we value and uphold excellent public services for everyone, or one where we’re divided into those who can afford to opt out and those left behind. Our teachers see the stakes every day.
Originally published in today’s Newcastle Herald (5 February 2026).