Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

The unfortunate thing we have seen from those opposite is not only that they do not understand what we are delivering in relation to school funding and the record amounts that are going into Australian schools and that they have an unfortunate misconception that, somehow, extra funding is the one thing that makes a difference, rather than how you use it, but that they fail to recognise the financial risk created for Australian taxpayers by their promises. As Senator Wong's friend, the South Australian Labor Premier, Mr Jay Weatherill, has said, those opposite have no coherent plan with which to deliver these policies in terms of the finances. As has been reported by the Grattan Institute, the Labor Party are 'taking a severe structural budget problem and making it even worse.' Those opposite are being grossly irresponsible in their promises. They fail to recognise that the most important thing you do in schools is focus on the areas that make a difference and that how you use money is far more important than how much you promise. (Time expired)