NSW to push for computer funding at COAG

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NSW will use Thursday's Commonwealth of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting to continue its push for more funding for the federal government's computers in schools program. The NSW government earlier this week threatened to derail the scheme, which was one of federal Labor's election promises

NSW Treasurer Michael Costa said the state would not pay the installation and maintenance costs for the computers unless it received an additional $245 million over four years from the commonwealth. The state has now signed on to the scheme, but Premier Morris Iemma says he will continue the fight for additional funding when COAG meets in Sydney on Thursday. "There is obviously the education agreement (to be discussed at COAG) and we will make the point to the commonwealth that a very good program needs to be fully funded," Mr Iemma told reporters.

"There are on-costs, so we will be providing some data on that." Mr Iemma said NSW would also use the meeting to discuss indigenous funding for remote communities, the future of the Murray-Darling river system and the national health reform agenda.