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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 2195 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

I pose the question: who said that the single most important educational initiative since self-government was the reduction in class sizes proposed in this budget? Those opposite will be mute on this, because they know that it was the education unit. Because of good financial management and making up for Labor's $344.5 million deficit, this government is in a position to put into this budget for years to come another $91.5 million, of which $40-odd million is for new initiatives.

Labor seek to ignore that. They do not want to talk about it. They talk about buses. The buses are with the urban services portfolio. They are a transport initiative. It is important that we put in context all the things that we have done in education. I will run through the list quickly. We have introduced literacy and numeracy testing for years 3, 5, 7 and 9. We have changed the emphasis in our high schools and colleges to cater for the 70 per cent of students who do not go to university.

We have introduced a $20 million package of informational technology benefits, including computers for teachers, IT grants for schools and software access for schools. We have introduced a renewal program for high schools, the High Schools for the New Millennium program. We have introduced the ICT competencies for year 10 students. I believe that is a world first. We have set up a range of new programs to address the needs of students at risk, and we have provided substantial increases for the non-government sector, including $600,000 per annum for students with disabilities.

Those opposite simply ignore those initiatives. They ignore the fact that there is $91 million over the next four years-$40 million for new initiatives-in this budget. We have managed it properly. We have got into a position where we can now address those things the public tell us are important, including education.

What of the $40 million to be spent on new initiatives in the coming years? It will go to lowering class sizes for early childhood years of schooling and a comprehensive list of new and expanded initiatives for students.

Mr Stanhope: That is $27 million less than we will do.

MR SMYTH: Mr Stanhope interjects, "That is $27 million less that we will do." Why are we in a position to have this argument over $27 million. It is simply because this government has managed so well after the mistakes of Labor. We have put this territory into a position where we can spend money on initiatives without putting them on the bankcard or flogging huge land masses at cheap prices and destroying the house market in the ACT, as Labor did from 1991 to 1995.

Earlier in the debate, Mr Quinlan said that if you did not promise it or say it at the last election it does not count. They are going to say, "You only have to judge us over the last three years. Look at the government; look at us. Forget the past." The public do not forget the past.

There are new initiatives in the early intervention arena. There are family support initiatives for adolescents. There are programs of support for youth carers, and further per capita and specific purpose funding for the non-government sector and additional interest subsidy scheme expenditure. Labor do not want to talk about those, because they are embarrassed. If I were in their position, I would be too.

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