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

Senator Marshall, I think the evidence is clear. This is backward logic from a very backward movement. The Liberal movement in this country is very, very backward. They have this bizarre idea that you should only get the education that your parents can afford. You should only get the sort of support that you can pay for. That is completely opposite to the principles of equality of opportunity.

It does not matter in their view what happens in the public education system. What does matter is that, if you can spend an absolute fortune on an elite private school, that course is legitimate. It demonstrates their point that education and money do go together—that education attainment does matter when it comes to the question of how much money parents can afford.

We know that universal education has been one of the great achievements of the modern state. Right across the world we have those who recognise that this is an achievement of this country. (Time expired)