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

I thank Senator Bilyk for that question. Some 70 per cent of the government’s stimulus spending since October has gone to infrastructure. All of the government’s infrastructure investments in the short to medium term of course will support jobs and business activity. They will also build enduring assets, which will continue to deliver benefits to the Australian community into the future. The $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution initiative is a great example of that. Australian parents and educators recognise the urgent need for improved school facilities even if those opposite do not. This program is providing new facilities and refurbishments that will help equip each and every Australian school to meet the demands of the 21st century.

To date, Building the Education Revolution has funded over 20,000 infrastructure projects valued at more than $10.45 billion. Over 5,000 schools received funding for nearly 7,000 projects in the first two rounds of the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program. More than 9,000 schools received funding for over 1,300 projects from the National School Pride program. I think we are entitled to know how many of these projects the opposition supports. The demand for this program from Australian school communities, from both the government and the private sectors and from both primary and secondary schools in every state and territory, has been overwhelming. We still have the Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools program to come.