Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Lyne for putting forward this matter of public importance and for his ongoing interest in education. The member for Lyne and I may not always agree on policy issues, but we do have a shared passion for education. I sincerely commend his work in regional education—in ensuring that systems put in place at state and federal level do not act in ways that disadvantage regional people and do, wherever possible, support those who need a helping hand to achieve their full potential.

I do note, though, that the member for Lyne said at the outset of his contribution that he was not going to be party political. But he could not quite help himself. He got about a minute and 10 seconds into his speech before he just had to give the National Party a bit of a touch-up on the way through. So I am sure he will excuse me if I just make a little point of my own which may be interpreted as being a little bit party political. I do fear that sometimes the Independents live in a bit of a bubble. They never have to make the tough budgetary decisions. I do not think there is anyone at state level making these tough budgetary decisions right now who is enjoying that process. It is a simple fact of life that it is up to the Liberals and Nationals in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland to clean up the mess which was left to them.

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