Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fowler for his question. He will know that the investment into the electorate he faithfully represents is in excess of $100 million. He will know that schools in Fowler are benefiting from the investments we have made in trade training centres in schools. The Bonnyrigg trade training centre received approximately $1.5 million from the Gillard government to enable young Australians undertaking certificate III and certificate II qualifications in hospitality to look at areas around the commercial kitchen experience that those kids need before they go off into that area in the future.

The fact is that this government has provided substantial investment in school education at a level unparalleled in this country's history. We heard my colleague the Minister for Human Services refer to that earlier on, and he was absolutely spot on. We are investing significantly in helping schools to teach kids well so that they have the skills they need for jobs of the future. It is not only through delivering bricks and mortar—the new classrooms, the new laboratories, the covered outdoor learning areas—it is also through the national partnerships, where we are focusing on improving teacher quality because we know that the teacher is the single most important person inside the school gate when the kids come to school. We also know that with that investment those kids will get the best education they can to be the best students they can as they go through their school career. This is a significant investment—some $65 billion—on the part of this government, with national partnerships worth over $2 billion as well.

Of course, there is also the national curriculum. The national curriculum provides a solid foundation for kids, wherever they are learning in Australia, in basic skills in literacy and numeracy. It is the sort of solid foundation they need, to go with their education into the future. We want Aussie kids and young people to measure up to be the best in the world and we want to help families have access to high-quality education and training for their kids. That is why it is so disappointing that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Abbott, thinks only the right kids should stay at school after year 10. I was very distressed—

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