Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The first thing I would say to the senator is: go to the 24,000 schools that are getting extra facilities. I have been to lots of them, and what I run into is a lot of very grateful schools, grateful principals and grateful school communities who are getting investment in their schools that they have not seen for many years. It may well suit the opposition to focus on the negatives, but I ask them to have more balance. It is important that we look at value for money for taxpayers. That is what the Orgill report will do in part. But I will not accept the assertion that somehow this program has not delivered great benefits to education and great benefits to employment sustainment in this country. We will get a fulsome report from the Orgill task force, but it is true, if you go to any school in Australia, that huge investment is delivering results for our children and for the school system. (Time expired)