Page 2196 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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That is excellent, but I would like to quote Senator Humphries, who welcomes the commonwealth’s investment as a “huge influx of funds”. It is about $6 million or $7 million. That is nothing to be scoffed at, and I welcome it. There is $7 million from the commonwealth and $350 million from the ACT government. If $7 million is a huge influx to be welcomed, what do you say about $350 million into our system? Massive—the largest injection into public education in the history of self-government. No other government or political party has ever invested as much money in public education as this Stanhope Labor government.
Given the comments that have been made by other members of the Assembly, it is interesting to look at what Senator Humphries had to say about the commonwealth’s money. He said:
This kind of funding isn’t just an investment in the bricks and mortar—it is an investment in our young people and I applaud the Government for looking to the future in providing these funds.
I could not agree more. In providing $350 million, this government is looking to the future. I welcome the partnership with the commonwealth over these three projects. It is good to see what can be achieved when governments work together. It stands in marked contrast to the approach they take on certain other issues, namely the desire to impose the HSC on the ACT college system and the threat to withdraw funding if we do not comply.
It is very important that governments work together. We can see the outcomes that are delivered. It is worth contrasting the amount of funding that is provided by the different levels of government. It is interesting that, overall, Senator Humphries is celebrating the fact that in 2007 the commonwealth is allocating $292 million to schools across the country. The ACT government is spending more on schools in the ACT than the commonwealth is spending on schools across the entire country.
That gives you an idea of the scale of investment from the ACT government into our public education system. I look forward to the delivery of the new Harrison school for the new 2008 school year, West Belconnen in 2009, Gungahlin college in 2010 and the new north Tuggeranong school for 2011 as well as upgrades to every public education facility in the ACT over the next four to five years. That is something that this government is very proud of.
Mr Stanhope: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Auditor-General’s report No 5 of 2007
Mr Speaker presented the following paper:
Auditor-General Act—Auditor-General’s Report No 5/2007—The FireLink Project, dated 27 August 2007.
Motion (by Mr Corbell), by leave, agreed to:
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