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

Thanks to the member for Barker for that critique of my skills—that was very impressive. Beyond these threats to projects under Building the Education Revolution, there is a threat to computers in schools. We as a government have delivered more computers, and had them installed, during the 2½ years of the life of this government than kids in years 9 to 12 had at the end of 12 years of the Howard government—300,000 installed, 210,000 at the end of 12 years of government. What this means in the electorate of Cowper is that we funded 5,241 new computers and delivered 3,972 of them. If the Leader of the Opposition has his way, there will be no more computers for kids in that area.

Then when it comes to trade training centres, of course we have been benefiting schools around the country—230 projects benefiting 732 schools. But if the Leader of the Opposition has his way then 1,800 schools will not be able to benefit from our Trade Training Centres in Schools Program, getting real skills for real jobs. What that means in Cowper is that, if the Leader of the Opposition had his way, the $4.5 million project benefiting Macksville High School and the trade training centre there, which is being participated in by Bowraville Central and Nambucca Heads high schools, would not go ahead. The $1.5 million project for Bellingen High School’s trade training centre would not go ahead—real kids losing out on real opportunities because of the conduct of the Leader of the Opposition. This is extreme policy making aimed at education, aimed at kids. I am still looking for a member of the opposition who will stand up for their local community and tell the Leader of the Opposition he is wrong. The member for Cowper most certainly is not one.

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