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

In respect of the question that the member has asked me, he—like other members in this House—knows what investment this Labor government has provided to his electorate. He has got $103 million of projects that have benefited about 72 of his schools. He has got 9,000 families benefiting from the schoolkids bonus. He has in his electorate schools like Rokewood Primary School, Colac Secondary College, Trinity college and St Brendan's Primary School—all part of the national partnerships. These are the very national partnerships that that Leader of the Opposition, who was speaking after the Prime Minister this morning, actually thinks have received too much money. We should pause and think about that for a moment.

We understand the link between students' fulfilment of their capacity, and economic prosperity and education. We understand that targeted investment in the things that work and, in the case of the member for Corangamite, in teacher quality in his schools, in better resources for students and in making sure that schools have a national improvement plan that is integrated into what they are doing—all of these things—will make a difference. We know that is the case, but in order to do them you have to have a conviction about education. That conviction exists on this side of the parliament. It is right at the heart of the Labor government's agenda for improving Australia's future. (Time expired)

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