Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am particularly pleased to be able to rise in the House today to support in this public arena the Investing in Our Schools Program. As honourable members on both sides of the House have conceded, this has been an extraordinarily popular program. It has become necessary because of the failure of state Labor governments to use the proceeds of the GST to adequately invest in schools, particularly government schools, and to adequately make sure that the infrastructure of those schools is up to date so that students in 2007 are able to obtain the best possible education through excellent educational facilities.

The Investing in Our Schools Program has a number of great virtues, particularly with respect to government schools. It has enabled government schools, their principals and P&Cs to reach over the heads of the state educational bureaucracy and deal directly with the Australian government in applying for funds for much-needed infrastructure. It is a most incredible program, and I have seen so many benefits flow to schools in my electorate as a result of this particular program. When I say ‘schools in my electorate’, I refer to both government and non-government schools.

It is a hands-on program that helps the Australian government to identify individual needs. These have in fact been identified initially by the individual schools. The funding brings a sense of relief to school communities because it lifts a very heavy fundraising burden from their shoulders. I suppose what really happens is that the fundraising burden continues but they are able to achieve many more positive outcomes because of the infusion of Australian government money. Most of us who are parents know that it takes a lot of pie and lamington drives, spellathons and school fetes to generate the money needed to complete many worthwhile school projects. The Australian government is certainly not suggesting that school communities ought not raise what they can as they can. This program is intended to be a top-up to assist local school communities to overcome the disadvantages of a lack of investment in the infrastructure and the repair of their schools by state Labor governments.

I think all of the honourable members of this House would be able to tell good news stories of the benefits to local schools from the Investing in Our Schools Program. One of the more memorable launches of infrastructure through this program in my electorate was the official opening of some new practice cricket nets at Talara Primary College, at Currimundi in the city of Caloundra. This school has an excellent reputation. It is a newish government school that has been going for less than 10 years. Talara Primary College has become so popular that it has had to draw boundaries around it and say that only families who live within those boundaries are able to access education for their children at the college. This school is in a region which has experienced significant and continuing population growth. The population of the Sunshine Coast region over the next 10 to 15 years could go close to being doubled, which presents enormous challenges as far as infrastructure is concerned, not only in the area of education but also in respect of roads and so on.

Through the Investing in Our Schools Program, the government was able to support this school project to the tune of $21,000. I suspect that a number of the students, teachers and parents at the official opening probably got some sense of satisfaction out of watching me after I was given the honour of being the first batsman to participate in this facility. I did manage to hit some of the deliveries but I do not suspect that I am at risk of being chosen for any Australian test team. As these cricket nets are of particular benefit to Talara Primary College, I am quite certain that some of its students will be able to become much better cricketers and may well obtain selection to an Australian cricket team in the future. One onlooker even suggested that on that occasion I made some 19 runs before I was dismissed. If that was true then I have to confess that it is by far my highest score in the cricketing arena. I can tell you that those nine- and 10-year-olds were certainly generating some pace.

I was also able to represent the Minister for Education, Science and Training at the official opening of new resource facilities at the Sunshine Coast Grammar School, which had been funded under this program. Its headmaster, Mr Nigel Fairbairn, must be congratulated for such a wonderful educational facility. I was thankful that this funding program was able to offer support to the student and teacher community through a new computer and library centre. This facility, complete with new computers, received $60,000 in Australian government funding through the Investing in Our Schools Program. The total value of the project was $118,454. The Australian government put forward part of the money, which effectively amounted to seed funding, and then the school community was able to raise the rest. This means that the Sunshine Coast Grammar School will continue to be able to deliver quality educational services to its 1,200 students.

Having seen first-hand the satisfaction brought to so many of the schools in Fisher through this program, I was particularly pleased to hear the announcement that it would be extended and increased. The Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Amendment Bill 2007 will facilitate an increase of $181 million to the Investing in Our School Program. This breaks down to an additional $127 million for state government schools in 2007 and an additional $54 million for non-government schools through 2007 and 2008. The additional injection of funds will lift total funding for the program to $1.818 billion over 2005 to 2008. Of that figure, government schools will receive some $827 million and non-government schools will receive some $354 million. In addition to these extra funds, the bill will also provide a funding guarantee for the capital grants program. It will provide for some $11.7 million for non-government schools for 2008, which effectively guarantees the funding level until the end of that year.

The improvements to school facilities brought about by the Investing in Our Schools Program and the capital grants program will help to create a more comfortable and, for that matter, more enjoyable environment for students, which can only help to support their educational goals. Of course, Australia’s children are Australia’s future, and whatever we the Australian government can do to assist positive outcomes for Australian students is good not only for the students but also for the long-term prognosis for educational outcomes in our country and, more generally, for the country itself. To further enhance the learning abilities of Australian students, this bill will allocate some $9.445 million for national projects in the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program for 2008.

I listened carefully to what Labor members have said and I have read the second reading amendment. In particular, I observed the contribution made by the honourable member for Cunningham. I want to place on record my regret that it has been necessary to drop from $150,000 down to $100,000 the maximum amount that government schools can apply for. A number of schools in my electorate have gained the $150,000. I think it should be recognised, though, that it was never a pledge that every school would get $150,000. But there is no doubt that some schools that had planned, in this part of the program, to submit an application for $150,000 will now not be able to do so, and I personally find that a matter of regret. I have expressed my views to the minister and I understand that this is necessary for responsible economic management.

The program has been inordinately successful and very popular. A certain amount of money has been allocated for the program, which is being extended by virtue of this bill. However desirable it might have been to continue the maximum cap of $150,000, I understand that it would simply not have been economically responsible to do so. In the interests of giving as many benefits to as many schools as possible, this has been an on-balance decision—a decision which I regret. Since I respect the minister immensely—I think she is one of the best ministers in this area, along with Dr Nelson and Dr Kemp—I have to accept that her judgement in this matter is appropriate in the circumstances.

I think most Australians regret that state governments have been running away from their funding responsibilities for government schools in particular. That is one of the reasons why this government has had to pick up the slack and meet the needs which have been left unmet by Labor governments around Australia. This government is acutely interested in both government and non-government education. We believe that children ought to be given choice and that parents ought to have not merely a legal choice to choose non-government or government education but, rather, an economic choice. I believe that, when history is written about the education policies of this government, what will be recorded very positively is that we have given an economic choice to so many more parents to choose independent, Catholic or other Christian education in a way which was not previously available to parents and families under previous governments.

These funding initiatives will help to enhance the school environment and give educational support to students across Australia. I am very proud to be a member supporting a government which has brought in the Investing in Our Schools Program. It seems to be one of the most popular education programs, with both government and non-government schools, that I have ever seen. What I like about the program is that it is not just being done for the political benefit of the government of the day; it is a program that is getting real infrastructure on the ground in government and non-government schools.

Even the opposition, which so often these days is carping and negative, cannot find within its heart—if it has a heart—the ability to criticise the good that flows from this program. The only criticism that has come is that the cap—that is, the maximum available—has been reduced from $150,000 to $100,000. These initiatives are absolutely vital and they are very positive. They are part of the ongoing benefits that this government is making sure flow through to government and non-government schools. I am very pleased to support the bill before the House, which I commend to the chamber.

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