Labor has accused the Abbott government of breaking a key election promise over schools reform.
Former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese says education minister Christopher Pyne is backtracking on a commitment to honour the previous Labor government's so-called Gonski reforms.
"They said they agreed to it," Mr Albanese told reporters near Hobart.
"Now they're saying `we didn't really mean that'.
"They promised no surprises, what we're getting is shocks."
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Mr Albanese dismissed suggestions the Gillard and Rudd governments did not finalise their agreements with states and the Catholic system after they'd agreed to the new funding framework.
He said the normal processes had been underway to introduce the reforms.
"It has been finalised in terms of what we had was negotiations with state governments," Mr Albanese said.
" ... It's not about 'look over there' and a bureaucratic debate.
"This is about an agreement that was reached between the Commonwealth and the states and one which the coalition said they would honour."
