Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

Look at education. I'm asked about education. What are we delivering when it comes to education, one of the essential services that we need to deliver on? Record school funding. Record childcare funding. Record tertiary education funding. I can tell you what: we will have results when it comes to education and we will deliver results when it comes to education.

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm asked what this means when it comes to Tasmanian schools. I'm happy to say it: more funding for Tasmanian schools. That is what this government is focused on. We are focused on making sure that we are going to change the lives of the Australian people, and we're doing that through what we're doing with the economy.

We're also doing it through delivering the essential services. I've mentioned education. We're doing it when it comes to health, which is very important. Look at those medicines that we've been able to provide cheaply to the Australian people. We in this place all know that that delivers real outcomes for those people who need those medications. We're able to do that while we're still keeping the budget heading back to surplus. When was the last time those opposite delivered a surplus? I can't remember. We've lost Wyatt Roy in this place, and I can't remember now the last time that they delivered a surplus. We are delivering these essential services in a way which is economically affordable.

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm asked what we are we doing for Tasmania. I will say what we're doing when it comes to Tasmania. We're delivering funding for schools, we're delivering better health outcomes and we're delivering jobs outcomes. That is incredibly important for those Tasmanians, and we will continue to deliver that. That is incredibly important. While I'm here, just so we can really put paid to what this motion is all about, I'd like to read out a statement from the Tasmanian Treasurer. I think, given that this goes to the heart of the motion, it would be good if we listened. This is a statement from the Tasmanian Treasurer.

Opposition members interjecting—

What this goes to show is you're not actually interested in your own motion. You're not interested in Tasmanians. You're just here doing your cheap political stunts. That's all this is about. Let's hear what he has to say.

While it is not my usual practice to comment on private conversations, I can confirm that during our discussions relating to the GST the phrase attributed in today's media to Mr Morrison was not used.

What does this say? It says this has just been a complete waste of time on your behalf.

Mr Morrison and I continue to have a very good working relationship and most importantly, the GST proposal that Mr Morrison and I reached is, on face value, a good deal for Tasmania.

So you can all go back to doing your day jobs. You can all go back to actually doing what you were elected here to do, and that wasn't to play these cheap political stunts. Go back to representing your constituencies in the way that they want you to. This statement clearly shows that this whole thing has been a complete and utter waste of time.

I repeat:

While it is not my usual practice to comment on private conversations, I can confirm that during our discussions relating to the GST the phrase attributed in today's media to Mr Morrison was not used.

Which part of 'was not used' don't you understand? What you've done this morning is waste this parliament's time. You've completely and utterly wasted this parliament's time, and the Australian people will be saying, 'This is why you should remain in opposition.' (Time expired)

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