Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's schools policy is marked by division, chaos and confusion. Public schools hate it, Catholic schools hate it, the government's own members hate it. When will the Prime Minister simply withdraw this rushed legislation, go back to the drawing board and stop $22 billion worth of cuts to schools?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We may well ask when the Leader of the Opposition will stop spreading falsehoods about $22 billion that he never had—his fantasy money, his funny money. It was never, ever funded and it was never, ever paid for, and every member of the Gillard government at the time knew that. It was a parting shot. Nobody in the school sector—Catholic, independent or public school sectors—ever believed that so-called promise of an extra $22 billion. The fact is that we have put into this House legislation which delivers for the first time national, consistent and transparent needs based funding, as called for by David Gonski and as endorsed, year in and year out, by the Labor Party but never delivered. He says that he does not like our schools policy. At least we have one. The Labor Party does not have one. It has 27 conflicting, inconsistent deals—one political deal after another. Not a thread of consistency or principle ties them together other than the momentary self-interest of the Labor Party back in 2012. That was the result of a Labor government that could not see past their immediate, short-term political advantage. They kicked that can down the road and, as usual, it is the coalition in government that is cleaning up Labor's mess. We are delivering consistent, needs based and transparent funding for all Australian schools.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

I hear the member for Gorton calling out. He is interjecting. He says it is a joke. Let us hear from the member for O'Connor and Labor members about how much of a joke they think the CFMEU's—

Honourable members interjecting—

The member for Gorton, I should say. Let him speak up today and tell us how much of a joke or how humorous John Setka's threats to track down ABCC inspectors, to threaten them with violence, were. They challenge us because we say we should be proud of Australian values, and they sit in this House representing and funded by a union which defies the rule of law, which threatens officials of the Commonwealth with violence, at a rally to which the Leader of the Opposition sent a letter encouraging them to keep up the fight. Where are the values, where is the principle, where is the rule of law from Labor?

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on both sides. The member for Whitlam. The member for Barton. I refer members to my statement yesterday. Do not expect to be warned before you are ejected. The level of interjections is far too high.