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

I thank the member for Moreton for his question. The Howard government listens and responds to the concerns of local people in local communities. A fantastic example of this is the Investing in Our Schools program. Members on this side will recall that school communities—the parents, teachers and students—were concerned that their state government schools were being neglected by state governments in their failure to fund basic items like playground equipment, libraries and science equipment. These school communities raised the issues with federal members on this side of the House. The government listened and responded with the $1.2 billion Investing in Our Schools program. Nearly $830 million of that program has been invested in state government schools.

I know the member for Moreton is very pleased with the outcome in his electorate, where over $3.3 million has been provided to 27 state government schools. Naturally, these school communities invite our local members along to view the projects—

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