A majority of Australians agree with a major Gonski reform principle — that schools with underperforming students should get more government funding than others — but that support drops with richer voters.
That finding comes from more than 200,000 respondents to the ABC's Vote Compass application, and shows voters with higher incomes are less inclined to support the needs-based funding approach than those on lower incomes.
The Gonski education reforms won the support of both Labor and the Coalition in the 2013 election, but the Abbott government withdrew its commitment in 2014 when Christopher Pyne was minister for education.
The Coalition under Malcolm Turnbull has now pledged support for the first four years of the six-year plan, with more limited funds pledged for the final two years.
Labor has said it will fund the full six years.
These findings are based on 242,404 respondents who participated in Vote Compass from May 8 to May 28, 2016. The data has been weighted to ensure the sample reflects the Australian population. [ Read the Vote Compass data FAQ ]
