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

The government has announced a $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution initiative. It is made up of three separate components: $12.4 billion is for primary schools for the 21st century. Round 1 of the program will see 20 per cent of schools with projects funded between the period of February and April 2009. States and territories and block grant authorities will be assessing proposals incorporating the views of parents, friends and citizens groups where appropriate and submit their lists to the Commonwealth so that the projects will start not later than June 2009. The second round, which will be aimed at 40 per cent of the other schools, will be in a similar manner, and round 3, which will be concluded by no later than December 2009, would see the remaining 40 per cent of schools with projects assessed. Of course, projects will come on stream as they are ready. That is the designation that has been agreed by COAG and announced today.