Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Four hundred years ago, Sir Francis Bacon made a simple observation. He said, 'Knowledge itself is power.' This motion recognises the transformative power of information. When we put information in the hands of voters we help people make the best choices for themselves and their families. Providing information also helps improve public services which are crucial to boosting productivity growth in Australia. This motion focuses on three websites created by the Australian government: MySchool, MyChild and MyHospitals.

The myschool.edu.au website allows schools, teachers, parents and the community to compare schools serving statistically similar backgrounds and to compare all schools in Australia. It allows parents to identify and learn about high-performing schools, including schools in which significant student progress is demonstrated. Under MySchool 2.0, parents can now look at student gain over time and they can learn about the financial resources available to the school. Since the MySchool website was launched at the start of last year, over five million people have visited the site.

The mychild.gov.au website helps parents find childcare options suitable for their needs. It allows parents to find information about the childcare places in their area and assistance with childcare costs. The website now includes information about vacancies across the full range of age groups and information on both permanent and casual vacancies. In the last 12 months alone, the MyChild website has had over 420,000 visits. The website also links to useful information for parents such as children's health and wellbeing, and parenting and family support services.

The myhospitals.gov.au website provides information on bed numbers, patient admissions, hospital accreditation and types of specialised services. It also provides national public hospital performance statistics such as waiting times for elective surgery and emergency. It helps patients choose the hospital that is right for them and allows everyone to compare the performance of their local hospital with other hospitals around Australia.

These websites were opposed at the time of their creation. Some education insiders opposed the MySchool website. The Australian Medical Association and some state governments opposed the MyHospitals website. The opposition recently has been critical of the updated MySchool 2.0 website, preferring instead to keep financial information secret from Australian families. Opposition to data release has been based around two arguments. First, critics argue the performance measures are imperfect. This is undoubtedly true, but it sets the bar too high. We should always strive to improve the quality of information but the perfect should never become the enemy of the good. Second, those who oppose data being released claim it will lead to underperforming institutions being stigmatised. But so long as the data are collected so as to minimise the potential for manipulation and provide the broadest possible set of indicators, it will help identify the strongest and weakest institutions. Rather than allowing poor performance to continue under a veil of secrecy, we should let a little sunlight in.

We also have good evidence that more information raises overall performance. In the case of school accountability, Stanford University researchers Martin Carnoy and Susanna Loeb found strong evidence that those US states that provided more public information about school performance experienced more rapid growth in maths scores. Similarly, Eric Hanushek and Margaret Raymond found that students in countries which published school performance data tended to do better on international exams.

The same is true of hospitals. In his book Better: Asurgeon's notes on performance medical writer Atul Gawande discusses the impact that performance information had on the treatment of cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that impedes lung capacity. While patients at the average treatment centre would typically live to 33 years, those at the best centre lived to age 47. Over recent decades the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients has increased substantially as treatment innovations have percolated down from the leading centres.

Making school and hospital performance information publicly available should help everyone, but there are good reasons to think the poor may benefit more than the rich. In a low-information environment, information is restricted to insiders who share it with their friends. Publishing statistical data helps democratise access to information, allowing everyone to see what the insiders already know. The more comprehensive public data is, the less individuals will need to rely on questionable sources of information. (Time expired)

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion on the MySchool, MyHospitals and MyChild websites should win a prize—it is one of the most hypocritical I have seen since I have been in this place. It is a motion one should describe as an own goal, or a self-inflicted wound. Where does one start to dissect a motion that talks about this government's performance, or about how greater access to information helps Australians make the best choices? It is self-evident that greater access to information helps Australians make the best choices—just look at what happened at the last election, back in August, when Australians went to the polls.

At that time, the information on the carbon tax that Australians had access to was a solemn promise from the lips of the Prime Minister that there would not be one. If Australians had greater access to information and had not trusted a single word that came out of the Prime Minister's mouth, they would have made the best choice and simply not voted for the Labor Party. While on the subject of access to information and helping Australians to make the best choice, last night we had 'Carbon Cate' and this ridiculous 'We say yes' campaign on TV—possibly the most dishonest and deceptive advertisement ever shown on national TV. How can Australians seriously make the best choice when served up such dishonesty?

One of the golden rules that applies equally in government as it does in life is that you should practise what you preach. Unfortunately, that does not seem to apply to this government. If this government truly believes greater access to information helps Australians make the best choice, what about the NBN? Certainly a cost-benefit analysis would help provide greater access to information about the NBN. A cost-benefit analysis would help this Labor government but, instead, it is rushing ahead and spending billions of dollars on a lick and a promise when already the alarm bells are ringing loud on the NBN. If the member for Fraser, who moved this motion, truly believed that greater access to information helps Australians make the best choices, why is he not demanding that a cost-benefit analysis be undertaken before they spend a further dollar on the NBN? Hypocrisy, thy name is Labor.

We have also seen this government's approach to access to information with its simplistic notion 'let us build a website'. Who can afford the high farce of this governments GroceryWatch website? Perhaps the worst thing about this website is the damage it did to the credibility of the ACCC. The ACCC took a political stance by aiding and abetting this Labor government's attempt to flog the lemon of GroceryWatch while the public was laughing at them. What the ACCC should have been doing was prosecuting this government for misleading and deceptive conduct.

If this member truly supports Australians having better access to information about government performance, how about a website that details the Labor government's performance in relation to the debt that they have created? Let us have a website that informs the public about how this government is building a mountain of debt by borrowing $135 million every day or $5.5 million every hour or $93,000 every minute. We could call it 'Labor debt watch'. Unfortunately, the problem with such a website is that it would struggle to keep up with the growing mountain of debt.

We could also have a website that informs the public about the effect on prices from a tax on carbon dioxide at different rates. The website could set out how much electricity prices would rise with a tax set at $20, how much electricity prices would rise if the tax were set at $30, at $40, at $50 and so on all the way up to $100 and more. We could also have a website that informs the public about how much this carbon tax will actually reduce global temperatures. In conclusion, this motion is just a further demonstration of how out of touch this government is and how their real intention is to hide the facts about this government's dismal performance.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It does go without saying that good public policy is built on good information, as is stated in the motion before us. I am going to speak on the motion before us about the MySchool, MyHospitals and MyChild websites, unlike the previous speaker who seemed to go quite wildly into other areas. Good information is what helps governments set priorities and stay focused on the big issues. We also need accurate information to evaluate programs and make adjustments where the need arises.

For that reason, I was very surprised, when we came into government back in 2007, to find out just how little information we actually had about things of great importance. We did not, for example, have consistent data on schools and, when we sought to introduce a program that targeted disadvantaged schools, we could not even get together an accurate list from the information that was available around the country. We did not have comprehensive data on literacy and numeracy, we did not know how children's literacy and numeracy skills were going over time, we did not have the data to enable us to identify and learn about which schools were performing well, we could not tell which schools were struggling or why and we did not have comparative school financial data. In fact there was very little information in the government domain that would inform a policy aimed at improving the quality of education across the country and making sure that good quality education was available for all.

We also did not have comprehensive data based on the health and wellbeing and development of our very young children, our nought to fives. This is a very important part of a child's life; it sets them up for the rest of their life. We could not work on prevention and early intervention in mental health where it was most needed because we simply did not know where it was most needed. That data was not there.

Parents did not have access to information about early childhood services. I remember talking to one of the peak bodies for childcare providers, based in my electorate, and they said that they also did not have data on where the populations were changing, where the childcare centres were and what services were needed then and would be needed in the future; nor did the government of the day. That was an extraordinary thing to learn in a world where information is king—that in 2007 the Australian government did not actually have the information it needed to make serious policy in these areas.

We did not have information on average waiting times in our hospitals nor could the general public easily find out which hospitals specialised in what. Now, I am pleased to say, in many of those areas the information is actually collected and available and is being improved year by year. In some areas, we are beginning new programs—the Australian Early Development Index is a particularly important policy at the moment and I will spend a moment talking about that fantastic initiative, which also highlights the importance we place on information. The Australian Early Development Index measures a young child's development. It is like a checklist that measures five key areas of early childhood development—physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skill, communication skills and general knowledge. We are now the first country in the world to have collected comprehensive and population based data on the health, wellbeing and development of our five-year-olds. In this year's budget, the Gillard government is committing an additional $29.7 million over five years to the Australian Early Development Index. We will now be collecting data on an ongoing basis every three years. It is a vital tool to help ensure that governments and communities continue to maximise our children's life potential. In this area, like so many others—particularly areas like education, health and early childhood wellbeing—having the information we need to plan services and focus our efforts in the right places is absolutely essential, as it is essential to evaluate current programs and determine where improvements are needed.

I would also like to talk briefly about how some of this information has been used. Arthur Phillip High School, one of the schools in my electorate, is one of the beneficiaries of the new school partnerships which place additional funds and support in schools with the highest need. Again I point out that when we came to government in 2007 it would not have been possible to identify that school among the many others that were in need of additional help, and I commend the government for the work it has done in making that information available to policymakers and the public at large.

Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to debate the motion put forward by the member for Fraser, who in his motion is calling on the House to recognise the importance of transparency. I must admit that I fully agree. I commend him for the motion, and I hope that his call for transparency is a genuine expression of the need for the Australian people to have access to information about government performance. I equally agree that greater access to information helps individuals and all Australians to make the best choices for themselves and their families and ultimately their community.

The question I would ask is: is it truth in transparency, or is it the perception of truth coloured by the filters of the degree of truth in transparency? If it is the latter, then what he seeks with this motion does not resolve the intent of what he seeks to address. I am reminded of the words of Henry David Thoreau:

To the man who cherishes a secret in his breast, there is a still greater secret unexplored. Our most indifferent acts may be matter for secrecy, but whatever we do with the utmost truthfulness and integrity, by virtue of its pureness, must be transparent as light.

Australians are asking for more transparent, democratic government that is completely open and frank, transparently honest in replying to answers sought and honest about its motives, which are clear and easily understood. The introduction of the My School, MyHospitals and MyChild websites has good intent, and they provide information that helps people and families to make discerning choices. Initiatives such as these are limited in the information provided, and what is not captured is the quality of human interpersonal relationships based on caring, understanding and compassion. The social, emotional and supportive nurturing environment is a significant component of the learning and workplace locations.

The motion says Australians need more information about government performance, greater transparency and better access to information to make informed decisions. These things are needed from a responsible government, but sadly Labor's actions are very different. Instead of reducing waste and streamlining processes, the Public Service has bloated under Labor's watch. Over 24,000 additional public servants have been employed since Labor was elected in 2007. That is equivalent to over 1,000 AFL teams, for example.

My office is bombarded with calls from constituents in Hasluck who are concerned about Labor's failed border protection policies. As we speak, immigration department officials are scouring the country to find more beds for people as detention centres overflow and succumb to rioting. Maybe we should have a My Detention website if we are serious about being transparent as the member suggests. Australians could see how many people were detained, the cost of detention, the number of riots, the number of staff injured or even the cost of putting up a fence and replacing damaged buildings.

One wonders what is next. Does the member for Fraser propose that the concept of transparency be expanded to enable Australians to fully understand the role, function and outcomes that taxpayer funded organisations perform, maybe creating a My Department/Agency website, and could that be extended to include a My Question Time website?

Of particular concern to parents and teachers in Hasluck is the terribly managed My School website, which flies in the face of this motion's call for greater transparency and information. Through My School, the government rushed to list the individual schools' finances for greater transparency but refused to honour its commitment to list the contractual obligations of BER programs on the My School website. Surely, this would allow parents to see how money was administered and spent at their child's school. There have also been many reports of students across Australia being asked to not sit tests to stop negative results appearing on the My School website.

In Hasluck, our students are blessed with many fantastic schools—too many to mention—but of course there are some that are struggling with teacher numbers, student attendance and the lack of funding. During this time as a teacher I found that there were literally thousands of teachers, support staff, principals, administrators, cleaners and volunteers whose enthusiasm made schools a positive place to be for students. There are many reasons that a school might not perform as well as one nearby or elsewhere in the state. Each area has its own unique people and demographics. It does not show the efforts of individual teachers in spending time with a particular student to help identify areas for improvement. It does not show the disadvantage some children have to work through to achieve. Transparency and accountability are important but this government is going the wrong way about introducing it into our schools and health systems. Encouragement and listening to the requirements of professionals are the right ways to ensure that those services that are needed are provided. All Australians deserve better from their government and I will continue to work to see that that happens.

Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health Services and Indigenous Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a particularly good day to be debating this motion from the government, a day when the Courier Mail ran the banner headline 'Time to stop the waste'. With that, it focused my mind on why I am here this week. Those in my electorate in south-east Queensland are finding it really tough because of a 63 per cent increase in the cost of power and water. Families in my electorate know the challenge of making ends meet. It is in that context that we have to be very cautious about the way we approach motions like this lest we appear to not be focusing on things that are of concern to our constituents. Mums in my electorate have told me about the tough choices they have to make about whether they can afford to put their kids through swimming lessons. And there are those who went to Woolworths and found that loaves of bread were two for $6 and had to ask, 'If I give you $3, will you give me one of those loaves?' We know that 80,000 people have turned up to Salvo services around the country this year who have not done so before. When we notice that the people of Australia are struggling with cost-of-living pressures and we are focusing our attention on the expenditure of government money on the things that really matter, we must be very careful not to be too celebratory about some websites.

I do not deny that there are one or two benefits from these websites. It should not be forgotten that the My School website was cultivated through the Howard government years and thwarted at every step by the unions and by the then Labor opposition. And the only practical benefit for ordinary people from the My Child website and the My Hospital website—and it should be noted that four per cent of Australians have looked at the My Child website and a slightly larger number have looked at the My Hospital website—is the fuel dial graphic that shows the long waiting lists and compares state averages. The practical reality is that people have very little choice about what public health services they access. In most cases, they access the public service to which their GP has referred them. So the idea that one can look at what is happening in other states, regions and even the far corners of the country to find, say, a slightly shorter waiting list for varicose vein removal is of intellectual fascination for those of us in this Committee but of almost nil practical benefit for the ordinary person who in reality will be guided by their GP as to where to have their operation.

I do not want to spend too much time on the individual policy errors of this government, but I will relate an incident in Boston when I was sitting in the back of a taxi that was being driven by a Haitian. He heard my accent and said: 'You're Australian. You have that female Prime Minister.' I said, 'That's right.' He said: 'She said before the election no carbon tax and straight after it she is talking about one. She has signed her political obituary.' I sat there stunned. As members in this place, we will be remembered by that extraordinary duplicity. That is why we have to be very careful that we do not focus on the next policy initiative that follows things like Fuelwatch, the set-top box program or the pink batts—and I will not go into the details of that. These simple things have become examples of extraordinary excess and waste. Is government largesse better than simply writing a cheque? As the Courier Mail pointed out today, 'Writing a cheque for families for $560 and saying "Would you like the cheque or would you like the website?"' I'll take the cheque. But you did not give them a chance on the other side of the chamber. That decision was made on their behalf, how to spend their money. And so we have these dilemmas of 260 childcare centres that mums genuinely wanted but will never be built.

Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) 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 in order of the day for the next sitting. The member will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.