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

I am not certain I can thank Senator Fielding for that question, because I really do think that, given the circumstances and the way in which this chamber operates, the suggestion that people feel that way about the schools program is totally inappropriate and grossly inaccurate. I was asked about what progress is being made in regard to Building the Education Revolution. We have a program of $16.2 billion now to support jobs in local communities in response to the global recession. As a result of that we have some 24,009 projects, as of 31 December, which have been approved for some 9,500 schools right across this country. So what we have actually seen is a very significant rollout of major projects which has enormous benefit—