David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion. What is the government doing to ensure the Australian economy receives stimulus during these uncertain times? How will Australian schools and students benefit from these measures?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I know that he is very interested from the point of view of his electorate in these education developments, particularly including trade training centres. The government are in favour of supporting Australian jobs through economic stimulus. We always have been. Those on the other side have had so many positions I have lost count, but they voted against supporting Australian jobs when they voted against the Nation Building and Jobs Plan. Just on the question of consistency, on this side of the House, we have always been opposed to Work Choices. On that side of the House, they introduced Work Choices, and what we have learnt during question time today is that no-one should listen to the words of the Leader of the Opposition because they are without worth and without meaning. The Liberal Party today has said, once again through its questions, that they are the party of Work Choices and they always will be.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hockey interjecting

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is interesting to me that it is the shadow Treasurer, the salesperson for Work Choices, who interjects. On this side of the House, we believe in an education revolution and quality schooling for Australian children. On the other side of the House, the Liberal Party are opposed to it and voted against it. They voted against an economic stimulus package to support jobs around the country. They voted against the single biggest school modernisation program this country has ever seen.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Julie Bishop interjecting

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is shouting out how opposed she is to this modernisation. But right around the country primary schools are looking forward to participating and being able to modernise their facilities with new multipurpose halls and 21st century libraries, and replacing demountable classrooms with permanent classrooms at last. Secondary schools around the country are looking forward to and are in the process of engaging with new science labs and language labs—500 of those to be built. Schools around the country are already working on getting their applications in for the National School Pride program—$1.3 billion of investment in small repairs and maintenance that every school needs.

In addition to these developments, through our economic stimulus package, in order to support jobs around the country and to have the single biggest modernisation of Australian schools ever done in this country, we have brought forward funding of $110 million for our $2.5 billion trades training centre scheme. This means that round 2 of the scheme, which is in progress now, is for a huge $387 million which will be available for building trade training centres in Australian schools. This is an important part of our stimulus package, an important part of building the careers and skills pathways for the future. I am excited about this development because I have had the opportunity to talk to schools around this country about how well received the first round of trade training centres was. I had the opportunity very recently to announce the successful schools for the second phase of round 1—336 schools around the country participated in this proposal with 104 projects.

Members opposite stand opposed to these developments and, in doing so, they stand opposed to developments like the Grand Junction Construction Industry Trade Training Centre, which, in order to give kids who want these vocational pathways, will provide training and support in construction and the property services industry. They are opposed to this development of $4 million. Which school is the lead school for that development? It is St Paul’s College in the electorate of Sturt—a school very excited with this development to which the Liberal Party are opposed. On this side of the House, no matter what inconsistencies we see from the Liberal Party, we will be there supporting economic stimulus, jobs around the country, the biggest school modernisation program the country has ever seen and the ability to participate in trades training around the country.