Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The shadow minister is interjecting about the history curriculum now. Perhaps he wants to explain to the Australian people why, after 12 long years and a rainforest worth of broadsheet newspaper columns about the history wars, the record of the Liberal Party in government is that 50 per cent of children in secondary schools do not learn any history. That was your legacy. All of those articles in the Australian newspaper and all of the history wars nonsense they went on about was all ‘look at me’ politics—it was all about the Liberal Party and nothing to do with the quality of kids’ education.

We will have a national curriculum. It will have local flexibility, and of course in giving local flexibility we will be working with those who offer curriculum like the International Baccalaureate. Finally, the provision about accounts is one that the shadow minister is trying to create a fear campaign about. It is a simple provision, a probity provision. If accounts are qualified then of course a minister would have a look, and that is what the act provides. These are very simple provisions. Of course he will be there beating the fear drum. No-one in the sector should believe him. This is about cheap and petty politics to cover up 12 years of neglect.

Question put:

That the amendments (Mr Pyne’s) be agreed to.

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