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

The shadow Treasurer, who interjects now, described it as ridiculous. The member for Warringah described it as a low-quality spend. And, of course, the Leader of the Opposition leads the Liberal Party in voting against this program and voting against the jobs that it will support. It should cause Liberal members to reflect, when they see the education community seizing this historic investment—this huge opportunity to have 21st-century facilities in schools—that they are there opposed.

There was discussion and debate in this House today about opening ceremonies in relation to this program, and I will reiterate what I said then—that of course schools will be able to invite local members opposite. I sincerely hope they come, because when they go to those opening ceremonies the only honest way for those Liberal Party members to conduct themselves would be to say, in front of the assembled parents, principals, teachers and students, that they are members of the Liberal Party, they do not believe that facility should have been built, they do not believe that it should be there for students, they do not believe that it should be there for teachers, they do not believe that it should be there for principals, they voted against it and, had they been in government, it would not have happened. That would be the only honest way for them to conduct themselves when they go, and I trust that they will go and conduct themselves in that honest way and say, ‘We were opposed to all of this.’

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