Phoebe Wearne

Some of WA’s most elite private schools — which charge fees up to $26,900 a year — will get millions of dollars in extra funding under the Federal Government’s new “needs-based” funding model. High-fee independent schools in Perth’s western suburbs will get funding increases under the “Gonski 2.0” changes because they are currently underfunded, according to the Government’s proposed formula.

Former Liberal premier Colin Barnett has warned the Federal Coalition of the dangers of doing deals with One Nation as Labor ramps up calls for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to rule out a preference deal with Pauline Hanson. Mr Barnett, whose 2017 State election campaign derailed after his Federal colleagues did a preference deal with One Nation, urged the Liberals to keep their distance from Ms Hanson’s party.

Parents could be hit with higher kindergarten fees in WA unless Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg enshrines $42 million in early education funding in his first Budget. No funding has been confirmed for next year for the existing four-year-old preschool program, despite calls from Labor and early childhood educators for subsidised schooling to be extended to three-year-olds.