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

I was asked specifically about stimulus payments. I was asked specifically about stimulus payments that have gone to supporting jobs. This government is proud of having supported jobs during the global financial crisis. When the world moved into the global financial crisis and accompanying global recession, it was the right thing to do to provide economic stimulus to support jobs—absolutely the right thing to do. I am proud that as a government we chose, as one of the single biggest targets for that stimulus, Australian schools. That was the right thing to do as well.

Whilst the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government was answering his question, members of the opposition, particularly the shadow Treasurer, were saying, ‘What have school halls got to do with productivity?’ Well, I suggest he goes and visits a school that has a new classroom, new flexible learning areas that enable teaching in a different way—

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