James Bidgood (Dawson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am aggrieved at the failure of the previous Howard government in delivering education facilities to the people of Dawson. Many times the former member for Dawson promised that she would deliver a science precinct at the university, and she failed on two occasions to deliver on that promise.

In contrast, the Rudd Labor government is delivering for the people of Dawson. Under the Nation Building and Jobs Plan the government will deliver a $14.7 billion boost to the education revolution over the next three financial years. The Building the Education Revolution initiative commences in 2008-09 and provides new facilities and refurbishments in schools to meet the needs of 21st century students and teachers. All of Australia’s 9,540 schools, including the schools in my electorate of Dawson, will benefit from the immediate funding for major and minor infrastructure projects. This program builds on the government’s commitment to all Australian schools by targeting primary and secondary school infrastructure requirements in both the government and non-government sectors.

The three key elements of the Building the Education Revolution initiative are as follows. First: Primary Schools for the 21st century—$12.4 billion to build or refurbish large-scale infrastructure in primary schools and special schools, from kindy to year 12, including libraries and multipurpose halls. Second: Science and Language Centres for 21st Ccentury Secondary Sschools—$1 billion to build up to 500 science laboratories or language learning centres in our secondary schools. There will be a competitive process for proposals. Funding will be allocated to schools that demonstrate need, readiness and capacity to complete construction by 30 June 2010. Third: renewing Australia’s Schools—$1.3 billion to refurbish and renew existing infrastructure and build minor infrastructure in all schools. This works out at up to $200,000 per school, depending on the population in the schools.

On top of this, the government is building the education revolution through the computers in schools program, and I am pleased to report that, in the second round of computers in schools, 13 schools in my electorate shared in over 1,400 computers—$1.4 million in funding—and those schools included Carlisle Christian College, Whitsunday Christian College, Calen District State College, Home Hill State High School, Whitsunday Anglican School, Mercy College, Mackay Christian College, Ayr State High School, Bowen State High School, Holy Spirit College, Proserpine State High School, Pioneer State High School, and Mackay North State High School. Needless to say, the principals of all these schools were over the moon with the delivery of such commitment.

Putting trade training centres in schools is another of the government’s commitments to Building the Education Revolution. The second phase of this program was recently announced by the Minister for Education, and I am pleased to say that five schools from the Mackay area, including three from Dawson—North Mackay, Mackay and Pioneer state high schools—will share in almost $6 million in funding to construct a purpose-built, industrial workshop catering for the manufacturing, engineering and mining industries. What is unique about this is that they have joined together and pooled their resources, and this centre will address skills shortages in the manufacturing, construction and property service industries and will enable the delivery of a range of qualifications in engineering. The beauty of this working together is that they are going to build this complex on the Central Queensland University site adjacent to the proposed new SkillsTech Australia facility. So this really is delivering, which the previous government did not. The previous government promised many times—it gave lots of lip-service—to deliver a $6 million science precinct. They failed. We, the Rudd Labor government, are delivering in full.

Funding will also be used to purchase equipment relevant to current industry standards and to refurbish the schools’ manual arts facilities to current industry standards. It is clear that, with the delivery of these programs, the Rudd government is delivering for the education revolution, for the people of Dawson and for the students. We deliver on-the-ground infrastructure and facilities—not just lip service, like the opposition did when they were in government, but real promises, real commitment and real delivery. I am so pleased and so proud to be part of a Rudd Labor government that not only says it believes in education for the next generation of Australians but actually delivers. Never before has so much been given to education, and I am so proud to be a part of that because we are planting the seed of education in future generations. In 10, 15, 20 or 25 years this nation will reap vast benefits and rewards in the form of their skills and innovations, discoveries and scientific pursuits. So it is a real promise, a real commitment and a real delivery. I commend this to the House.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.