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

I thank the member for Franklin for her question. I also thank her for the opportunity I had recently to visit Blackmans Bay Primary School, in her electorate, where I announced the successful Tasmanian primary schools for the first round of Primary Schools for the 21st Century under the Building the Education Revolution program. I know that the member for Franklin, as a member who is in touch with her local community, is delighted that 50 schools in her electorate have already been allocated $31.9 million for 62 projects as part of Building the Education Revolution.

These benefits for local schools and for local jobs in the electorate of Franklin are examples of what is happening right around the country. As members on this side of the House are clearly aware, the biggest school modernisation program in this nation’s history is the single biggest part of the government’s $42 billion economic stimulus strategy, our Nation Building and Jobs Plan. It is a plan that is all about supporting jobs today while we build the infrastructure we need for tomorrow in almost 10,000 schools right around the country.

Already the government has announced rounds 1 and 2 of the National School Pride program, totalling $1.3 billion, which has already been allocated to 9,490 eligible primary and secondary schools around the country for 13,176 projects. And many of these projects have already started, meaning that schools around the country are a hive of activity, supporting local jobs and supporting local tradies.

In addition, I have announced the first 1,499 primary schools that will receive up to $3 million each through round 1 of the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program. This will total 2,010 projects approved at a value of $2.83 billion.

So with just these two programs to date the Rudd government is supporting 15,186 projects and injecting $4.13 billion of construction activity into our economy. This has been well received by those who care about education. I take you to a letter I received from Maria Hardy, the Principal of Bondi Beach Public School.

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