Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In response to Senator Bernardi, I acknowledge his contribution to the debate and over the course of the last 24 hours and the effectiveness of the suggestion he made about outcomes which appeared overnight in the Greens amendment.

However, Senator Bernardi, Labor are not able to support this amendment up for discussion right now, because ultimately it results in no funding certainty for schools. We do not support the government's legislation, but we absolutely believe that there should be ongoing funding for schools and that it needs to be budgeted for by the government. To support your amendment would put that significant part of education infrastructure in Australia at risk, so Labor will not be supporting your amendment.