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

I thank the shadow minister for his question, because it proves yet again how little the Liberal Party cares about education in this country. On the specific school that he raises, I will of course investigate the details of this matter, but can I say this: the track record of the Liberal Party in raising accurate claims in this House is a very poor one indeed. Given that we have already had questions from the Liberal opposition which, when investigated, turned out to be completely incorrect, I will not accept any fact asserted by the shadow minister without having it thoroughly checked. So we will undertake those checks.

The shadow minister might think it is smart, as a representative of the Liberal Party, to go round the country insulting school communities on the work that is happening in their schools. The Leader of the Opposition might think it is smart to vote against $14.7 billion going into local schools and all of the support for local jobs that that provides. But, if they ever got out of their Liberal Party bubble and went to a school and spoke to some real human beings about what is happening in their school, they would find a sense of delight about the possibilities for better quality education that this program brings. I personally have visited schools. I have addressed principals’ forums where we have talked through Building the Education Revolution and where principals, teachers, parents and, indeed, students themselves have been delighted about the possibility that it brings their school and the support that it brings their local community.

Here we are in the parliament and what we hear constantly from the opposition is carping, moaning and criticism, just like we are hearing now. What we never hear from the shadow minister for education is an education policy—not once, not ever.

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