Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Hansard source

The Howard government welcomes this MPI debate. We are not afraid to have the spotlight placed on our record in schools, TAFEs and universities and our call for higher standards. Indeed, it is the Howard government that wants to open the lid on what the state and territory education systems are doing in terms of education and training and place the spotlight on the failure of the state and territory governments’ education systems.

And do you know what hurts Labor? They know that the parents of Australia agree with the Howard government on this issue. It is pretty rich to hear the member for Jagajaga talk about the politicisation of curriculum—I have to get this in the Hansard. The member for Jagajaga would be the last person to suggest that there are not people in the education system trying to ensure the curriculum is politicised. There she was, at the Marx Centenary Conference, where she said, ‘What does the dismantling of capitalism and the building of socialism involve?’

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