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

I thank the member for O’Connor for putting it beyond doubt that the opposition are living in the past. They are living in the past, particularly about the need for 21st century learning environments and the difference that the Digital Education Revolution and national broadband can make to the learning experiences of Australian students.

Whilst the opposition lives in the past, in the last century, the century before or wherever they are marooned today, the government is getting on with the job of delivering 21st century learning environments and 21st century schools to Australian students and teachers. We believe Australian students deserve to learn in the best of facilities. That is why we are investing $16.2 billion in Building the Education Revolution, it is why we are investing $2½ billion dollars in trade training centres and it is also why we are investing $2.2 billion in our Digital Education Revolution to bring computers to schools.

I can update the House and provide the following information to date: almost 290,000 additional computers are there and approved for 2,700 secondary schools. Already, 154,000 computers have been delivered to 1,694 schools across Australia. As we continue to fund this program we will reach a one to one ratio of computers to students for students in years nine to 12 of secondary school by the end of 2011—a promise given in the 2007 election and a promise being delivered.

Of course, the Digital Education Revolution, working with the National Broadband Network, will open up a new era of learning for students in Australian schools. It will mean that they are able to source the best of curriculum, content and research material from around the world. It means those students who are in small schools and who perhaps do not have a specialist teacher, perhaps a specialist science teacher or language teacher, will be able to access content and contact with those specialists through the power of the National Broadband Network and our Computers in Schools program. It means, of course, that Australian students will be able to develop the skills that they will need for life and for work in the 21st century.

In addition to the support for computers through our Digital Education Revolution, the Australian government is committing $100 million to support the provision of high-speed broadband connections to schools and $80 million for the establishment of a vocational education and training broadband network for technical and further education institutions. Whilst the opposition, like the member for O’Connor, live in the past, we are making sure that Australian children will thrive in the future with the skills they need in this century.

See this speech in context