The Coalition has announced a $100 million boarding school infrastructure fund to support remote Indigenous students.
One of the first tangible, Indigenous-specific policies released by the Opposition in the election campaign aimed at closing the gap will focus on giving First Nations children the opportunity to access quality education, "regardless of where they live".
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, said the investment was about lifting Indigenous school attendance and retention rates.
"For Indigenous children living in remote communities, education is crucial to combating the tyranny of distance and breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage which has led to such poor learning outcomes." Senator Price said.
The NT Senator has been critical of the government's intervention and funding efforts in remote communities across the country, with the Coalition arguing that "delays in releasing the findings of the Indigenous Boarding Design Review and short-term funding extensions" have created uncertainty for providers.
"This is unacceptable. A Dutton Coalition government will take real action to close the gap, not just talk about it," Senator Price said.
"This fund empowers Indigenous families to access better opportunities for their children, especially when local schooling options are limited."
Shadow Minister for Education Sarah Henderson once again touted "practical measures", in the statement on Thursday, saying the Coalition will deliver "real outcomes for Indigenous Australians".
"Boarding schools provide vital access to education for Indigenous students living in remote communities," Senator Henderson said.
"Our $100 million Remote Indigenous Student Success Boarding Fund will help build and upgrade boarding facilities which predominantly serve Indigenous students, creating up to 660 new places across Australia."
Earlier this year, the federal Labor government announced a $44 million investment towards boarding schools to help support Indigenous students in remote communities.
It came after independent bodies who cater to Indigenous boarders across the country warned schools were at risk of closure if the Commonwealth's grants program was cancelled in the 2024-25 budget.
Senator Henderson said attendance in remote areas is as low as 46 per cent, with just over half of First Nations students completing Year 12.
"The challenges facing Indigenous children and teenagers in remote communities are immense, and this fund is all about driving successful student outcomes," she said.
The Coalition said the fund will run across two grant rounds, prioritising regional boarding schools which serve communities, and will complement the existing Indigenous Boarding Providers Grants Program, which currently supports around 2,500 Indigenous students across more than 40 boarding schools.
Furthermore, $15.9 million over four years to 2028-29 will be committed to ensure providers of these additional boarding school places have access to support from the Indigenous Boarding Providers Grants Program.
The Coalition have spruiked a "back to basics" plan for education, which focuses on "explicit instruction and other evidence-based teaching methods". Senator Henderson has previously argued a Dutton government "want to get back to the basics" around education.
"We don't believe there is any room for activism or ideological agendas in education institutions," she told ABC earlier this year.
