Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure for me to contribute to the debate on the Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014. It must be confusing for those listening to the presentations made by members with regard to what is being said in the chamber. What I do know is that the passionate response of the member for Lingiari to proposals in this bill reflects his electorate, as did the member for Grey when he spoke very wisely about how this bill affects people in his electorate and took the opportunity to explain to the House how his electorate and Indigenous communities work and where he saw it going. He wanted to break the cycle through education.

Education has been an issue in this House for the whole time that I have been here. It has been contentious. Everybody—each government, each community—has their own view about how education can best be delivered to our generations of children and adults. Having said that, who is right in the chamber? Is it the member for Throsby, who gave the atypical political speech about education? Is it the member for Lingiari, who passionately talked about his electorate and the effects on the Indigenous community? Is it the member for Grey or any other person making a contribution here? Who is right? Certainly the public listening to the debate would not have the faintest idea who is right.

The member for Throsby must have forgotten or have some amnesia with regard to the $2.3 billion they took out of higher education in their last budget before they were defeated. Is that forgotten? Come on; it cannot be. Yes, the nation has been left with a fair amount of debt. This government has to address it in every area.

But I especially wanted to talk about education as it affects you whether or not you are an Indigenous person, whether you are red, yellow, black or white. It does not matter. It means that our kids are important. We not only have to send a message to our children; we have to send a message to their parents about their dedication. The member for Lyons in a candid admission today in his address in this House said he was not heavily involved in his boys' education. He said his wife was. She carried the burden for the family with regard to the education for the boys. I would fit that bill myself. I think that, though I have sat on a number of school boards over the years and contributed locally—my children went to secondary college at Pakenham and have done well—I have to say I was not around a lot. Often the burden is taken up by your partner.

I wanted to find a way to send a message to the whole of my community about the importance of education, and I have to take every opportunity. As this year roller-coasters towards Christmas and the New Year and soon will be into another year and all the thankyous will have been said; and the HSC results would have come out, and the futures would have been written, they think, on just that result—and it is not the truth. That result is not the be all and end all of a life given and life's opportunity. But education creates the opportunities. Not in every case. Not in mine, for sure. I think my education began with the bumps and scratches of life, as I stand here today with more bumps and more scratches. So I wrote:

This Christmas we the people of Gippsland from North, South, East or West, recognise that education is the greatest gift we can give our children. Universal access to learning, the Christmas present that keeps on giving, empowers our children to reach their full potential.

What more can we do to enhance our collective national progress, building a cohesive society based on tolerance and respect, than through the best education for our children our nation can afford.

Life-long learning reduces poverty, creates better jobs and increases the health and well-being of every Australian. As our children are one third of our population and all of our future, it is right and just that we gift in full measure to the next generation. Through the precious commitment of our teachers we claim for our children greater heights and success than we of this generation ever dreamed.

I put that to the House in all the consideration on education, all the blaming of the other side for what they have not done, let us encourage those in this House in tertiary education, in TAFE, in secondary college, in primary school, in early development education. They talked about day care providers being educators now; I think let the kids play. But let not this be a playground in this House. Let this not be a playground. Let us debate sensibly education in this place, in a bipartisan manner that gives the best opportunity for future generations—our children—the best opportunity to reach their full potential we as parliamentarians can possibly give them. I thank the House.

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