Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Blair because he has given not just a very good indication of what has been done in his electorate for educational opportunities but also exposed, by virtue of the interjections, the silo mentality that still presides on the other side of the chamber when it comes to regional development. I have made the point that if we simply look to the silo of the Regional Development Australia Fund for the purposes of impact on regions we miss the point. We are great believers in the fact that you have got to invest in educational opportunity, particularly higher education opportunity in the regions, because all the evidence shows that if you train people in the regions they will stay in the regions. That is why this budget—

Mr John Cobb interjecting—

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