Teachers and principals wary of cash-bonus plan

(Australia Twitter)-Prime Minister Julia Gillard says education and training will be the budget's top priority, as she unveiled a new plan to help thousands of students with disabilities.

A week out from the federal budget, Ms Gillard visited a Canberra primary school to announce a $200 million plan for more speech and occupational therapy, technology, teacher aides, health professionals and specialised curriculums.

The payment -- varying from $8100 for experienced teachers to $5400 for those starting out -- would be based on NAPLAN test results, lesson observations and parental feedback.

No new details about the policy were released yesterday but Mr Garrett said the intention was to clarify the government's commitment to the scheme ahead of next week's budget.

She recognised that she had "a lot of hard work to do as prime minister".

"We've got a lot of hard work to do as a government and we'll get on with doing that work," Ms Gillard said.

Australian Primary Principals Association president Norm Hart said they welcomed additional investment in teaching but had concerns about the way the bonus scheme would be calculated.

All public and private schools that teach disabled students will be eligible for a share of the money, which will flow from early next year until mid-2014, when new school funding arrangements begin to take effect.

Mr Abbott said the funding was a "small step towards addressing a very big problem"

Australian Education Union federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said the government was mistaken in thinking a one-off bonus was the right approach in retaining good teachers and addressing staff shortages.

"It is not a long-term solution to the problems we have," he said. Mr Gavrielatos said a similar scheme in the US "failed spectacularly.

Education focus for budget - Gillard

(Australia Twitter)-Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the budget will focus on education, as she announced $200 million for students with disabilities.

A week out from the federal budget, Ms Gillard visited a Canberra primary school to announce a $200 million plan for more speech and occupational therapy, technology, teacher aides, health professionals and specialised curriculums.

The Coalition continues to poll strongly against the Gillard government, with a primary vote last weekend of 44 per cent, compared to 45 per cent at the beginning of last month, while Labor's primary vote was 33 per cent, up one point.

The one-point shift either way on the primary vote and an unchanged Greens primary vote of 12 per cent meant two-party-preferred support, based on preference flows at last year's election, was 53 per cent for the Coalition, down two points, and 47 per cent for Labor, up two points.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Penny Wong - who has been working with Treasurer Wayne Swan to put the final touches to the budget - says changes to family and age pensions and health care are expected to save an average $7.5 billion a year over the coming four decades.

'This is $30 billion that can be allocated to helping those most in need, investing in education or improving access to health care,' Senator Wong said.

'The Gillard government is acting today to ensure higher living standards and better services for the next generation.