Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

Through you, Mr President, I will write a letter with you, Senator Faruqi, to every single state education minister, because that is absolutely unacceptable for any child—when it's hot in summer and you're trying to educate young children, schools need to be air conditioned. That is not the responsibility of the federal government. It is the responsibility of state education ministers. You stand up here and try and make some insinuation about the money that we're putting on the table—it is not to take away from the responsibilities of state education ministers. I would be appalled if the money that we are putting forward as a government to assist schools to transition to this new model to ensure that every single student in this country is treated the same for once were going towards excessive luxury items. I expect it to be going towards the education of Australian children.