Greens
Restore school funding, make public education genuinely free and strengthen TAFE
View detailed claimsVictoria 2026 · Policy comparison
Education
Jurisdiction: State PrimaryPublic schools, curriculum within state systems, TAFE and early childhood services run or regulated by Victoria.
4 of 4 comparison columns contain a sourced position.
How to read this comparison. The short cards show each party's recorded approach.
The detailed section reproduces the sourced claims underneath. There are no scores, rankings or inferred
positions. Policy cells show only positions with an individually sourced public record (manifesto, press release, Hansard, or Parliamentary Budget Office costing). An empty cell means no sourced position is in the ledger yet — not that a party has no view, and not an editorial judgement of importance.
Direct comparison
At a glance
Labor
Free Kinder and TAFE, new schools and disability inclusion
View detailed claimsLiberal–Nationals
Shared Coalition policy
Literacy and Numeracy Guarantee, early specialist support and repeal of the schools tax
View detailed claimsOne Nation
Back-to-basics curriculum, parental control and stronger discipline
View detailed claimsSources and detail
Party positions
Greens
Back to comparison- Pledge
Reinstate the $2.4 billion in public-school funding the Greens say the Victorian Government delayed, including funding intended for staff and salaries.
- $2.4 billion taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
Australian Greens Victoria · published 13 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Phase out fees and out-of-pocket charges in public education so students can participate in core and extracurricular activities regardless of family income.
Australian Greens Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
2 more claims
- Pledge
Improve teacher pay and conditions, reduce class sizes, provide more planning time and administrative support, and set a benchmark of at least 80% permanent teaching positions in schools and TAFE.
Australian Greens Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Guarantee recurrent public funding for TAFE, expand free vocational and adult education, and phase out public funding to private providers where an equivalent public option is available.
Australian Greens Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
Labor
Back to comparison- Costed measure
The 2026–27 Budget provides $19 billion for education during the year, including $5.5 billion in new investment across schools, kindergarten and vocational education.
- $5.5 billion new investment taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
- 2026–27 Budget
Victorian Budget 2026/27 · published 1 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Costed measure
Build four new schools and campuses, upgrade 31 schools and construct up to 22 new kindergartens, alongside five Early Learning Victoria centres.
Victorian Budget 2026/27 · published 1 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
3 more claims
- Position
Continue Free Kinder for three- and four-year-olds, which the Government estimates saves families up to $2,700 per child each year.
Victorian Budget 2026/27 · published 1 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Position
Maintain the Free TAFE Guarantee and direct at least 70 per cent of Victorian vocational education and training funding to TAFE.
Premier of Victoria · published 4 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Costed measure
Continue the Disability Inclusion reforms in government schools, backed by more than $2.1 billion to provide additional support for students with disability.
- more than $2.1 billion taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
Premier of Victoria · published 4 May 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
Liberal–Nationals
Back to comparisonShared Coalition policy
- Pledge
Adopt a Literacy and Numeracy Guarantee aimed at lifting student results by 15 per cent over a decade, with a longer-term objective of 90 per cent of students reaching the top two NAPLAN proficiency bands.
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Commission a 12-month review to declutter the Victorian Curriculum, reduce teacher workload and strengthen explicit teaching of foundational skills.
- $200,000 taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
- 12-month review
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
2 more claims
- Pledge
From Term 1 of 2028, place occupational therapists and speech pathologists within the Primary School Nursing Program and provide a $500 subsidy towards an initial specialist appointment for eligible children.
The Nationals Victoria · published 9 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Repeal payroll tax applied to non-government schools.
Liberal Victoria · published 25 June 2025 · verified 1 Aug 2026
View separate Liberal and Nationals records
Liberal
- Pledge
Adopt a Literacy and Numeracy Guarantee aimed at lifting student results by 15 per cent over a decade, with a longer-term objective of 90 per cent of students reaching the top two NAPLAN proficiency bands.
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Commission a 12-month review to declutter the Victorian Curriculum, reduce teacher workload and strengthen explicit teaching of foundational skills.
- $200,000 taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
- 12-month review
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
2 more claims
- Pledge
From Term 1 of 2028, place occupational therapists and speech pathologists within the Primary School Nursing Program and provide a $500 subsidy towards an initial specialist appointment for eligible children.
The Nationals Victoria · published 9 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Repeal payroll tax applied to non-government schools.
Liberal Victoria · published 25 June 2025 · verified 1 Aug 2026
Nationals
- Pledge
Adopt a Literacy and Numeracy Guarantee aimed at lifting student results by 15 per cent over a decade, with a longer-term objective of 90 per cent of students reaching the top two NAPLAN proficiency bands.
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Commission a 12-month review to declutter the Victorian Curriculum, reduce teacher workload and strengthen explicit teaching of foundational skills.
- $200,000 taxpayer funded
- Uncosted pledge
- 12-month review
The National Tribune (republishing Liberal Victoria statement) · published 19 July 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
2 more claims
- Pledge
From Term 1 of 2028, place occupational therapists and speech pathologists within the Primary School Nursing Program and provide a $500 subsidy towards an initial specialist appointment for eligible children.
The Nationals Victoria · published 9 June 2026 · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
Repeal payroll tax applied to non-government schools.
Liberal Victoria · published 25 June 2025 · verified 1 Aug 2026
One Nation
Back to comparison- Pledge
One Nation Victoria proposes a stronger focus on English, mathematics, science, literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and classroom discipline, with ideological material removed from the curriculum.
One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
The party would reintroduce mandatory Australian history studies emphasising British settlement, military history, democratic institutions, patriotism and critical analysis.
One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
2 more claims
- Pledge
One Nation Victoria proposes elected school boards with parents holding at least half the positions, together with a school voucher system intended to expand parental choice between government and non-government schools.
One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
- Pledge
The policy would use NAPLAN to identify learning gaps, require year-level achievement before progression, strengthen teacher standards and performance recognition, and give schools clearer suspension and discipline processes.
One Nation Victoria · verified 1 Aug 2026
Who controls education?
Jurisdiction: State PrimarySchooling is primarily a state responsibility in Australia. The Commonwealth provides major funding to schools and runs national curriculum and higher education frameworks; day-to-day public school systems and TAFE are state-led.
- Victoria
- Public schools, state curriculum implementation, teacher employment in the state system, TAFE and many early childhood programs.
- Commonwealth
- School funding agreements, national curriculum frameworks, universities and many student income supports.
- Local councils
- Limited direct role; some councils support local early learning or school-related services.