Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

Exactly right. Senator Mason, what the government has indicated is that we have embarked upon an educational revolution. What this government has commenced is the delivery of a policy commitment to provide access to a computer for every student in the years 9 to 12. We have delivered the first instalment of that program by the introduction of $100 million of the $1 billion digital education revolution rollout this financial year.

The initial national audit of the IT needs of schools was conducted and the neediest schools have been identified and have been invited to submit applications to take part in this program. Some 937 schools from across Australia have been asked to submit an application. These are schools where students do not have access to a computer in the numbers that they do in the rest of the system. In fact, these are schools where there are eight students for every computer. That is a situation which even this opposition, which has so little regard for the educational opportunities of Australians, would appreciate is totally unsatisfactory. The government is investing $100 million this financial year to move from a ratio of one computer to eight students to a ratio of one computer to two students. This will be a dramatic improvement for some of the poorest families in this country. Senator Mason, I am sure that you agree that that would mean a significant improvement to not just the educational opportunities for those students but their life opportunities. We all understand that without access to the tools of modern learning we are not going to be able to share in the full benefits of this society.

This program is designed to provide assistance particularly to the poorest families in this country. These are not additional costs to parents; this is a mechanism by which opportunities can be opened up to all Australians. That is the real nature of the program. This is a chance for many Australians to share in the prosperity that this nation enjoys and not be left behind.