Australia politics live: Acoss warns Coalition plan to strip home energy efficiency standards could lock in high power bills and ‘deepen inequality’

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEducation minister says funding agreement with Victoria ‘very close’The education minister, Jason Clare, says a funding deal with Victoria to get public schools funded to Gonski levels over the next decade is “very close”.We’re very close, mate. I know [Victorian premier] Ben Carroll gets this, and I’m optimistic that we’ll get this across the line. He understands how important it is that teachers are paid well, that they do the best or do the most important job in the country, but how important it is that we fix the funding of our schools – we’ve struck agreements now, 10-year agreements, with every state and territory across the country except Victoria. We’re very close to landing that deal. Continue reading...