Malcolm Turnbull's school funding plan hangs in the balance as the Greens weigh up whether to offer his blueprint their support. The situation could be worse for them than under the current legislation.
By contrast, Catholic schools across New South Wales would lose $1.16 billion if the changes are passed.
In their speeches Abbott and Andrews reflected the Catholic sector's discontent, with Abbott focusing particularly on schools in his Sydney electorate of Warringah. "Until I'm convinced that the proposals in place will not disadvantage Catholic schools, and independent schools for that matter, I've indicated to the minister: "please don't make me vote against the government in my last week in the Senate".
The breakthrough for the government before the winter recess comes as The Australian reports that the Catholic education sector launched a campaign against the Gonski 2.0 plan into four Victorian marginal Liberal-held seats on Tuesday night, using 240,000 robo-calls.
"If Labor wins office and wants to put more money into schools that's great - there needs to be more money", he said.
The data helps explain the ferocious response from the Catholic school sector to the government's new funding model even though its funding is increasing overall.
According to the modelling, the government's changes would save the budget $771 million over a decade because of the hit to Catholic schools.
It came as a former head of the Australian Education Union urged the Greens and Senate crossbenchers to back the government's school funding changes in a dramatic break with the position of the current union leadership...
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In their negotiations the Greens have been seeking a shorter time frame, extra funding for public schools and the national watchdog which would monitor funding and spending and review the new benchmark "schooling resource standard".
"Now I want Labor and the Greens to return the favour and do a deal with the Coalition government for the good of our schoolchildren".
"More accountability measures will ensure states have to do their share of heavy lifting and not shirk their responsibilities - this will unambiguously lead to a better outcome for our children in our schools", he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Labor education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek urged the Senate not to pass a funding model that "parents hate, that teachers hate, that will be awful for Australia's children".
If Labor wanted to continue its insistence that schools will be short-changed by $22 billion it could take it to the next election, he said.
"But they shouldn't vote the new model down".
Senator Xenophon said his party had struck a deal with the Government to speed up the flow of the money so the plan is implemented over six years, not 10.
And it appears it has managed the latter, but this Gonski ride is not over yet.
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