Prime Minister Julia Gillard pressures Premier Denis Napthine to play ball on education Prime Minister Julia Gillard has ramped up pressure on Premier Denis Napthine. VICTORIAN students risk being "left behind" those in NSW schools, says Prime Minister Julia Gillard as she urged parents to "raise their voices" in support of her education plan. In an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun, Ms Gillard stepped up the pressure on Victorian Premier Denis Napthine to sign up to her school funding "crusade" by drawing on the rivalry with NSW. "Victorian kids are worth as much to all of us as the kids in NSW," she said. I do not want Victorian children left behind. I don't want them to miss out on benefits that children just the other side of the border in NSW are going to get. I don't want people to drive through Albury-Wodonga knowing that when they do, kids on one side of that border are getting a better education. NSW Liberal Premier Barry O'Farrell has already signed up to the deal. Ms Gillard said she was available to speak to Dr Napthine "any time that he wants to talk." Ms Gillard said $4 billion of extra resources for Victorian schools was at stake. "Many parents work long and hard to back in their child's education -- hours earning money to pay fees or hours spent volunteering at the local school," she said. I would ask parents in the same spirit that takes them to the school to volunteer, to be raising their voices saying they do want a better education for their kids and more resources in their schools. Victorian Education Minister Martin Dixon said the prospect of a deal was "50-50 at this stage." He had "no issues" with the principle of funding students based on a flat rate with loadings for disadvantage. But he said Victoria won't sign anything that disadvantages any student or school, telling ABC radio the Federal Government's figures had been "all over the place." On a visit to Fitzroy Primary School yesterday, Federal Schools Minister Peter Garrett said literacy and numeracy coaches, homework clubs and hi-tech equipment were "on the chopping block" unless Victoria agreed to the deal, along with new equipment such as iPads.