Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Carr. Given that in question time yesterday the minister refused to guarantee that all projects funded under the Building the Education Revolution program were subject to a competitive tender process, will the minister now confirm that in fact hundreds of contracts for construction at state schools have been awarded to state government contractors without any competitive tender process?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I indicated yesterday the process for tendering arrangements for Building the Education Revolution. I also indicated that the number of—

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ferguson interjecting—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Ignore the interjections, Senator Carr.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Building the Education Revolution is a program which actually provides support to schools right across the country—some 9½ thousand schools. A quarter of a million teachers will be able to benefit from this program by being able to do their job more effectively, and 3½ million primary and secondary students will directly benefit from this program. There is a situation where the Commonwealth is now funding some 20,000 infrastructure projects.

It was, of course, necessary for the Commonwealth to work closely with the states to ensure that the states and territories and block grant authorities actually deliver that program to the individual schools. We are working very closely with the schools and with the states and territories to ensure that the largest single modernisation program in the nation’s history was delivered and that the tendering process involved in this multibillion dollar stimulus program was a competitive one which drives the process of ensuring value for money.

I have also indicated to the Senate on numerous occasions that the Building the Education Revolution guidelines outline the fact that the states, territories and block grant authorities are required to report monthly on the activities that they have undertaken in their projects, and that the schools and local communities are able to obtain maximum benefit from these important infrastructure investments by working with the states and territories and, if necessary, directly with the Commonwealth. The implementation of the Building the Education Revolution— (Time expired)

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister also confirm that, as a result of the project management of the BER projects not being put out to tender, some state governments are skimming off as much as 11 per cent or $330,000 per project with no questions asked?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have had repeated allegations of this type being made through the Australian and I have indicated on every occasion that has been brought to the attention of the Commonwealth that these cases have yet to be sustained.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nonsense.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know Senator Abetz is only too happy to rely on bodgie emails, but we do not rely on bodgie emails. We rely on the facts and we rely on proper and sound public administration. If you are making a specific allegation then make it and let us then examine the facts rather than relying on bodgie, fabricated documents or the rumours and innuendoes that you are trying to peddle around this country about the largest single school modernisation program we have ever seen. Tell the schools, tell each and every one of the schools, that you oppose these programs. (Time expired)

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that even the Australian Education Union has called for a review and given that the Commonwealth has no interest in ensuring the work and management of the BER is cost effective, efficient and gives value for money, will the minister now admit that this program is little more than the biggest pork-barrelling exercise in Australia’s history?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indicated to the Senate that this is a program of immense value to the children, the parents and to the future of this country. This is a program that not only actually provides jobs immediately but also builds capacity—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, when there is silence then we will continue.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indicated that for the 3½ million students of this country this program is of immense value. I have also asked: will the opposition come clean here? Will they go to these individual school communities and explain that they actually opposed this spending? Will Senator Abetz rely yet again on false documentation to make an assertion rather than coming clean, telling the truth and explaining what your position is? You voted against these projects yet you turn up for the photo opportunities. (Time expired)