Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education and Youth. With students in my electorate back in the classroom from today, why is it important for the national curriculum to lift learning standards and teach kids the origins of our strong liberal democracy? What has been the response to your calls for a greater emphasis on this?

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lindsay for her question and for her incredible advocacy in Western Sydney. She, like so many other parents in New South Wales, is so pleased that kids are back at school in New South Wales today. In just another week or so every single child across the country will be back doing face-to-face schooling. When they're back, we're backing them with record school funding, with additional mental health support, ensuring there are fantastic opportunities for them when they leave school.

But we're also fighting for a national curriculum that lifts learning standards and teaches our kids a balanced and positive view of Australia and the origins of its liberal democracy. If they don't learn about our liberal democracy, they'll be less willing to protect it and contribute to it. Plenty of people have backed this position over the last few days. Respected history professor Greg Melleuish says:

We need an education system that provides both intellectual rigour and respect for our traditions. It is the foundation of a civilised social order.

Geoffrey Blainey, arguably our greatest living historian, says in support as well:

In my view, the condemnation of this country has gone too far.

He says Australia 'is one of the world's conspicuous success stories in modern times', and that that's why so many people have come here.

Christian Schools Australia said: 'We need a curriculum of hope, not despair—a curriculum that points to a positive view of our nation, not a negative one.'

Peter Jennings, who, as you might know, is the executive director of our leading national security think tank, ASPI, says that if we don't defend our democratic values in schools they will be attacked from outside:

Australia's been a remarkably successful democracy and that's something that we should teach kids to be proud about.

I apologise; that was a trigger word for those opposite, to be 'proud' of our country. I should have given them warning in relation to that particular word! We know they have a different view of our country. When they were asked—and the member for Watson was their spokesperson: 'What do you think about having a curriculum which has a positive view of our country?', he said, 'That's a little bit weird.' That was the Labor Party's response—that it's a bit weird to have a positive view of our country, to have high values and to learn the origins of our liberal democracy—

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

The minister will resume his seat.

Government members interjecting—

Members on my right will cease interjecting. The minister will cease interjecting. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the standing order requiring members to be referred to by their title: I don't know who he's talking about. I've only said his rants were weird! That's what I referred to. I don't know who he's talking about, but it's not the member for Watson.

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

The Manger of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The minister has the call for about 13 seconds.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Parents don't think it's weird to have a positive, optimistic view about Australia and our national curriculum. We are the greatest country in the world. We're the wealthiest, most liberal, most egalitarian and most tolerant country that's probably ever existed, and that's much to be proud of. (Time expired)