Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also addressed to the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister seen reports that hundreds of Victorian schools may close due to the ACTU’s National Day of Action this Thursday, with many parents forced to take the day off work to care for their children as a result? What is the Prime Minister’s response?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have seen reports. For example, the AEU Victorian branch president, Mary Blewett, said that teachers, principals and school staff from across the state would gather in Melbourne on Thursday. They should not be gathering in Melbourne on Thursday; they should be at school on Thursday. They should be looking after the interests of the schoolchildren of Victoria.

It is no secret to any member in this House that many Australian parents are voting with their feet against the government education system around the country, and they are not doing it because of funding: it is this kind of behaviour by teachers that gives government schools a bad name. Victoria has the highest percentage of school students enrolled in independent and Catholic schools in the country. This action by Victorian teachers will further reduce the esteem of the government education system in the eyes of Victorian parents. As somebody who is rather proudly the product of a government education system, let me say that I worry about this kind of behaviour undermining the quality of government education in Victoria and around Australia.

Instead of attending a rock concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, instead of attending a Jimmy Barnes concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, these teachers should be in their classrooms. They should be doing what they are paid to do—that is, to teach the children of Victoria. If they want to demonstrate against our laws, they should do it in their own time, not in their children’s time. This is a blow against government schools in Victoria. The fact that all through this answer those opposite have interjected on behalf of the striking teachers demonstrates how much contempt they hold for the government school education system.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms King interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Instead of heckling me, they should be encouraging the teachers of Victoria to stay at their post, do their job and look after the schoolchildren of Victoria.