Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Exactly; the light is on. People in the community have, I think, twigged to this. They understand what has happened over the years and years of neglect and irresponsible behaviour we had in the lost Howard years—the lost opportunities, the wasted millions, the begging opportunities and all the people, all the schools, all the parents who could just not quite get that little bit of a hand-up they needed, a little bit of assistance and support. But, today, let me tell you some really good news: amongst all the bad news that we have out there on the international platform, the Rudd Labor government is doing everything it can in its power and it is doing it the right way, the proper way. It is about the national interest, the national economy. It is about making sure that the precious tax revenues, which are now less because of the international circumstances we find ourselves in, will be expended for the right reasons in the right areas on the right programs. We are going to make sure every school is looked after. I commend these bills to the House. (Time expired)

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