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

Mr Abbott said yesterday:

So there is no question of injustice to public schools here. If anything, the injustice is the other way.

He made the statement that we are, in fact, providing an injustice when we talk about public education support at this moment. This is a position that would seriously weaken public education in rural and regional Australia. This is a position that would seriously undermine the capacity of this country to remain at the level of equality we have provided. I ask a simple question: of the $17.8 billion for special-purpose payments to the states, how much would be cut to provide justice under a Liberal government?

Which schools would be cut? Which groups of disadvantaged Australians would miss out as a result of the policies of Mr Abbott, if they were ever implemented? Because that is the proposition he is advancing. There is an injustice in the level of support that he wants to right and that means cuts. (Time expired)