Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I think if you subtract 21 from 42 you get 21 as well, Senator Joyce—just to help. Let me be very clear. As I said, if that number varies slightly I am happy to come back to give you an update and to correct any misapprehension. As you would know, the first phase of the stimulus—the cash payments—has all been spent. We are in the process of and work is underway on medium- and long-term infrastructure. At the end of November 2009: 64 per cent of major building construction projects had commenced, almost 6,000 projects had been completed, 93 per cent of funds for infrastructure projects had been approved and 31 per cent had been paid, two science and language centres had been completed in New South Wales and Queensland and another 109 centres commenced on-site construction. Also, 607 school projects had been completed at the end of 2009 and around $3.7 billion had been paid across the Building the Education Revolution program. (Time expired)