Pat Farmer (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. I refer the minister to Douglas Park Public School in Western Sydney, which applied in March for a new administration centre with their $850,000 grant. But instead of receiving the $850,000 for a new administration centre they were offered a factory built transportable library at a cost of $285,000. The school has now informed me that the New South Wales government is charging them the full $850,000 for the same library—a 300 per cent increase in just five months. My question to the Minister for Education is: along with the Auditor-General, will she promise to investigate the mismanagement of federal funds by the New South Wales state government?

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

I confess to some surprise in the question. I assumed that the member was going to ask me about a school in Mosman! I will look at the school that he has raised with me. Let me assure him that the way the Building the Education Revolution program works is that there is a limitation on project costs and on administration fees. I will look at the example that he has raised with me and we can work through it. I am sure that when we work through it some of the things that the member has put in his question will turn out not to be right. But, given that he wants me to look at an individual school, I will certainly do so.

Can I say more broadly in respect of the Building the Education Revolution program, I understand that the Liberal Party squirms each and every day in embarrassment because of its lack of policies on education and because it failed to support the biggest school modernisation program in the nation’s history. When I travel to schools and I see the delight with which this program is being received, I can understand why members opposite who travel to schools would find school principals, teachers and students saying to them, ‘Why did you oppose us getting these extra facilities?’ So I understand the carping, the moaning and the whingeing to try and cover that up.

Pat Farmer (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the point of order is on relevance. It is quite simple. I asked for a yes or a no. Would the minister investigate the allegations?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Macarthur will resume his seat. The Deputy Prime Minister was responding to the question.

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

Can I assure the House that we will continue to deliver the Building the Education Revolution program. Parents and teachers want better facilities in Australian schools. The Australian community supports that. The Liberal Party obviously is a party that cares so little about education and supporting Australian jobs it could not see its way to supporting it.

In respect of the last question asked of me by the shadow minister for education, I have now been advised that the school that he raises is on French Island in the electorate of Flinders. It is a small island with a limited number of people. For some reason it has always been hated by the Liberal Party. It is where Gorton and Bolte wanted to put a nuclear power station in an earlier iteration of Australian politics. The Liberal Party might not think the people of French Island deserve things, but we do. I would also ask the House to note that the Building the Education Revolution program comes with a community-use obligation—that is, facilities built under that program are used by community members. I do not know why the member for Flinders would not want a new facility for community members in his electorate. Presumably, he is continuing the historic antipathy towards French Island from the Liberal Party.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We’ve already got a community hall. He would not let in—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Flinders!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure about provocation but the member for Flinders cannot use the chamber as a stage for a single-person show.

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

It was a good point.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it was not. It is not allowed within the standing orders.