Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you so much, Mr Acting Deputy President. I did say to the previous chair that it is fine; I worked with children around the three-year age group for a number of years. Although those opposite are worse, I am quite happy to just ignore them. But thank you for that.

Under a Will Hodgman government in Tasmania—should the worst scenario happen—there will be no more money for education. The department will be told to find the money, or they will have to recoup it from parents in high schools. It will mean moving away from literacy and numeracy programs. It will mean fewer books in schools. It will mean fewer pens and fewer school trips for students in Tasmania. As a Tasmanian senator, that is of great concern to me.