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

I thank the member for that supplementary question, because it allows me to point out that in Chifley the support that the Gillard Labor government has provided to schools in the member's electorate is significant: $137 million in 163 projects, benefiting 66 schools. That is BER funding. We have three trades training centres—trades training centres, incidentally, that are on the chopping block with the cuts that the Leader of the Opposition wants to bring forward. We have $14.7 million invested there, and 8,600 computers are being delivered to kids in the member's electorate as a consequence of the investment commitment to education that this government has.

I can understand why the member asks this question, because that is a proud record compared to what those opposite have on offer. In recent weeks we have seen some insights into the value that the opposition places on education: the member for Sturt saying that they would sack one in seven teachers, the Leader of the Opposition saying it would be an injustice if funding for public schools were to continue, and this morning on radio the shadow Treasurer refusing to rule out similar cuts to those underway in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. He absolutely refused to—three times, in fact.

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