Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday was forced to rule out any suggestion the Commonwealth would move to charge wealthy parents higher fees for a government school education contained in a leaked Prime Minister and Cabinet green paper.

Mr Abbott said that while the Commonwealth would never means-test public education, states and territories could take the issue up.

ACT Education Minister Joy Burch said categorically this would not happen under Labor.

"Universal free public education is one of the hallmarks of a developed society," Ms Burch said.

"Public education is free and available to all, and that is the way it always should be. Any notion to change that is unacceptable.

"As ACT Education Minister, I will fight any move to means-test or charge for public education. I won't support it here in Canberra or in any other jurisdiction in Australia."

Liberal Education spokesman Steve Doszpot also seemed cold on the idea, saying "We don't support means-testing public education and don't support the idea of making parents pay for their children to attend public schools."

Similarly, ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja distanced himself from the green paper, saying "Charging wealthy parents for their children to attend public schools is not the government's policy. I don't support it."

Mr Seselja said the references to education funding were part of a white paper discussion with state and territory governments and other stakeholders, and the government did not intend to pre -empt this discussion before the paper was released in 2016.

"The federal government has no proposals for public schools to impose fees. We do not run public schools – they are run by the states," he added.

Former ACT education minister and chief minister and the ACT's newest senator, Katy Gallagher, spoke on the issue as a Matter of Public Importance on Monday afternoon, in which she said the options to give the states and territories responsibility for school as well as means-testing public education – among others – were outrageous.