Damian Hale (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I know that those opposite do not like hearing this. It is great to see that the member for North Sydney has finally come back to the House after being the first male member ever to have a baby! What I want the shadow minister for education, the member for Sturt, to do is come to my electorate. I want him to tell the 271 students there they will be worse off under the coalition’s plan for Solomon—the Pyne plan, as they have called it, or the Pyne plantation as it should be called: all full of rubbish and should be cut down. Under the Pyne plan, almost $700 million over four years will be torn out of the pockets of students at the start of the scholarship, and it will reduce permanently by $1,254 every year. More than 150 students will be losing the equivalent of $24 a week each and every year.

During the election campaign, Labor made it clear that Australia needs nothing less than an education revolution, a substantial and sustained increase in the quantity of our investment and the quality of education for all Australian youth. This is required at every level of education, from early childhood education through to the education of mature age students. Education is the platform of our economic future. Our prosperity rests on what we commit to education now. One thing I have learned from my parents is that education is not something you just go through the motions of. Education is not something that you just do to win an election. Education is a commitment we set for the society that we want to become. It sets us up. As the Prime Minister said:

… I want people to understand that our reforms are essential to Australia’s future—because quality education is good for our economy, good for our community and good for individuals. It will help create jobs and higher wages, and will create better opportunities for all Australians.

I commend the bills to the House

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