Media Release | 6 May 2026
Liam Staltari MLA
Shadow Minister for Education.
Early Childhood; Disability Services
After 12 months of sustained pressure, the Cook Labor Government has backflipped and
agreed to direct $40 million from the Public Education Endowment Trust towards
infrastructure in WA public schools.
When the Public Education Endowment Repeal Bill 2025 was first debated in Parliament
last year, the Opposition brought on amendments to protect the Trust’s $36 million in
assets and ensure they were used for their original purpose, supporting public schools.
Shadow Education Minister Liam Staltari said the Government rejected the Opposition’s
proposal at the time, arguing the Trust’s assets were “not a viable mechanism to
supplement funding for education”, and also refusing to guarantee that the money would
actually go to schools.
“All the while for the last 12 months, schools have been dealing with the more than 10,000
maintenance defects and crying out for support,” Mr Staltari said.
Today, the Government has backflipped, announcing the assets of the Trust will be
committed to upgrades and maintenance in schools in the upcoming State Budget.
Mr Staltari said the announcement was good news for teachers, parents and students, but
long overdue.
“Twelve months ago, this Government tried to pocket the assets of the Public Education
Endowment Trust and roll them into their general coffers, with no guarantee that a single
dollar would flow back to our public schools,” he said.
“Today, they have been forced into a complete reversal and adopt the position of the
Opposition put forward in May last year. This is an abject backflip – and it should never
have taken 12 months to get here.
“For a century, this trust was intended for one purpose and one purpose only – funding
public education. That promise has finally been honoured, only because the Opposition
stood up and fought for it and for school communities.”
Mr Staltari said the focus must now turn to delivery.
“Ask any teacher, principal or parent what $40 million will mean for their school, and they
will tell you – it could be transformational,” he said.
Basil Zempilas MLA
Leader of the opposition
