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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 2152 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

Let's not be distracted by the constitutional arguments. At the heart of this matter is this government's total lack of understanding of the needs of the education system, this government's total lack of care or responsibility for the fact that over the last five years we have lost our pre-eminent position in education. We used to be proud of the fact that we once led the nation in relation to all aspects of the provision of education in this town. We no longer do.

Have a look at the Productivity Commission report in relation to educational outcomes in this town. We have sunk in terms of educational expenditure and we have sunk in terms of educational outcomes. That has happened under this government. We have lost out in relation to both of those measures of educational input in this place. Our investment in education has reduced to a point where we no longer lead the nation. We do not lead the nation in relation to educational expenditure. The states spend far more, and are spending far more in a short period of time, than the ACT does on education. In order to fudge the figures the minister is inclined to add in relation to educational expenditure capital expenditure on education. He does so simply to get the numbers up and to make them look respectable.

Mr Stefaniak: That is what the states do.

MR STANHOPE: Go back to the Productivity Commission report. The minister's response-

Mr Smyth: You got it backwards. The states do it. We don't do that. You are wrong.

Mr Stefaniak: The states do that.

MR STANHOPE: Well, that actually compounds the problem then with the Productivity Commission report. Have a look at the Productivity Commission report and see how the ACT is faring in relation to education. Not well. We have dropped from top to fourth or fifth. That is an outrageous outcome over the period of this government. The outcomes are not what they were. The outcomes are not what they were despite the gloss that the minister has consistently attempted to put on this, and here was the opportunity.

Here was the great opportunity to do something about it. The government had $27 million. It had the capacity to make a major intervention, a major injection, a major investment in relation to education. Just think. Just ponder on some of the things that you could have done and that will be done by a Labor government in relation to that $27 million. Think of some of the things that we will do for all children in Canberra, not just this 16 per cent or 20 per cent or whatever it is that the government is desperately clinging to as a justification for this. (Extension of time granted.)

Think of some of the things that a Labor government will do with the additional $27 million. Think of the enormous additional advantage that will come from smaller class sizes if these decisions are made. Think of the range of interventions, the range of improvements, that can be made through the expenditure of this additional $27 million. There is the possibility of additional cuts to class sizes, the possibility of further investment in early childhood development, the possibility of dealing in a very direct and significant way with the problems of students with disability. There could be further and

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