Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth. Would the minister update the House on the Gillard government’s commitment to school education?

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Kingston for her question. It has been very notable to me, as I have listened to some of the first speeches in the House by new members, that the necessity for a comprehensive, thorough education is clearly identified in this place as being one of the primary and core responsibilities of the national government. I noted with great interest the remarks from the member for Hasluck and the member for Greenway, who in fact used the expression that education is the great enabler. It is, and it is something that this government completely understands.

In her speech, the Governor-General talked about education being at the heart of our agenda, and it is. Our aim is nothing less than to make every school in Australia a great school. In just three years we have delivered more for education at every level than did the coalition over 12 years, importantly with an investment of over $63 billion in the four years 2009-2012, nearly double what was invested in the previous four years. We are working on crucial reform through national partnerships—literacy and numeracy, $540 million over four years; improving teacher quality, $550 million over five years; $1.5 billion committed in partnership with the states to schools of low-socioeconomic quality.

It is important for people to understand what the government’s commitment means, particularly on literacy and numeracy and on low-SES schools—that some 2,500 schools will receive additional support from this government. There is also a bold reform agenda under way, and the Prime Minister referred to it in part. For the first time, a national curriculum is on the way, a draft curriculum for English, maths, science and history, crucial reforms with the NAPLAN tests, a MySchool website with information for parents on nearly 10,000 schools, the kind of information that parents and carers really need and really want when thinking about the education of their children. It is one of the most important decisions they will make. The Digital Education Revolution: over 300,000 new computers are going into schools right around Australia, on track to reach the one-for-one delivery that we have set ourselves by the end of next year. Further reforms to come are improving teacher quality, rewards for performance and the like.

I have to make a final point, as I speak to you about education—and as the member for Sturt returns to the chamber—that at the last election the opposition pledged to cut over $3 billion out of education. That was a specific pledge by the Leader of the Opposition, to cut money out of education—one of the most important tasks that the government can set itself. What would that have meant? Over one million students would not have taken the advantage of being able to train in trade training centres. It would mean that over 120,000 students would not have had the opportunity to have computers in schools. When the opposition were in government they put some flag poles in front of schools; this government is committed to making sure that schools have the opportunity to do what every Australian wants us to do best—provide a first-class education for Australian students.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.