Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for her question and acknowledge her longstanding interest in education. Education is this government's No. 1 priority and that is why we have doubled the investment for schools since we came to office. The Commonwealth now invests some $13.9 billion per annum. It is our priority because we know education is the great enabler. We know that it provides us with the opportunity to ensure that this whole country—our people right across this country—have the skills for the 21st century.

Education is the foundation stone of our innovation system. It brings wealth to industries. It helps us build jobs—high-skill, high-wage jobs—for our people. It lays the foundations for this nation's prosperity and it unlocks the doors of inequality in this country. A fair go in education is fundamental in ensuring that we have a just society. We over here ask the question: 'What about your position?' The position of those opposite is to attack education spending; take money away from trades training; take money away from schools; and take money away from universities. That has been the position of those opposite. That is their stated priority: not to accept the Gonski reforms and the need for increases in Commonwealth investments in education. That is the position of those opposite.