Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present a letter from the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Evans, relating to an order for the production of documents on the Building the Education Revolution.

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I have not seen that document, but in relation to this issue the first recommendation of Brad Orgill’s report into the Building the Education Revolution is to release the costings for all school buildings across all education authorities throughout Australia. The Prime Minister, Ms Gillard, promised she would act on that recommendation. That was 3½ months ago. The Senate needs these costings to make an assessment as to whether taxpayers’ money is being well spent. Despite the Prime Minister’s rhetoric about this new age of accountability—‘let the sun shine in’—the Australian parliament’s requests for information have been repeatedly ignored. If the Building the Education Revolution is such a great success, as the Prime Minister tells everyone, what does she have to hide? The parliament needs this information to determine whether the Building the Education Revolution is a success at all.

Question agreed to.