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

I thank the member for Parramatta for that question. Incidentally, in the member's electorate she has some 43 buildings—$100 million of investment in new education infrastructure. She has some 9,700 computers in place. She has eight schools in Parramatta benefiting under the smarter schools partnership. Each member in this House—and Labor members know this—has been the beneficiary of the investments that this government has made in education and will continue to make in education over time.

I am asked about the impact of cutting funding to school systems, particularly in New South Wales. It is disturbing to hear these reports that there are potentially $1.7 billion worth of cuts going into education in New South Wales, including cuts to government schools and to TAFEs. At a time when we have on the table a plan for national school improvement—a commitment to invest in education, because that is what the Gonski panel told us—if we want to deal with the needs that students face in schools in New South Wales and around Australia then we need a national plan for school improvement, and we are committed to doing that.

The member for Parramatta and members on this side can have confidence that this government will continue to invest in education. But, as far as the coalition goes, in the state of New South Wales and Australia wide, all they seem to be interested in doing is cutting. (Time expired)

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