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

This is the twisted fantasy of the Red Tories. Those who subscribe to Phillip Blond's 19th-century idea of social policy. The New South Wales Minister for Education actually said:

I sleep very well at night knowing the decisions that I've made and announced today are in the best interests of students across all schools.

That might be a mighty sweet dream for a Tory recidivist, but it is a nightmare for many parents in this country. They are the ones who will have to deal with the hikes in fees and the staff cuts.

And this money they are saving in New South Wales is being used to build an $8 billion railway line that would actually be slower than the buses that currently operate. We cannot for a moment believe that this is the philosophy of a modern government. We are looking at very 19th-century views about what is in the interests of parents and what is in the interests of students. (Time expired)