Page 2400 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 12 August 2014
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I am sure that when Ms Gallagher and Ms Burch signed up for that money they said to the federal government, “Where is this money coming from?” I am sure that they knew that this was appropriated or was going to be appropriated and where it came from. But no, they did not ask that, because this was dodgy, this was deceitful, and, as was predicted and as Gillard and Rudd knew, they went to an election and lost. What happened afterwards is that every Labor politician in the country is out there saying, “Where is the money? Where is the money that was promised?”, knowing full well that it was Monopoly money at best. It did not exist. It was on the credit card. It was an illusionary promise, a deceitful promise, that this lot signed up to.
But worse than the grand deceit by the federal government and the complicit Labor government here was that in the budget before last—and we are feeling the ill effects of it now—the Gonski plan was put up across the board. You will remember that this was the moment when previous Prime Minister Gillard was under enormous threat; the sharks were circling; Kevin Rudd was doing his numbers; Bill Shorten was wondering whom he should go with this week; and she needed to stitch up a deal really quickly to try to make herself look secure. She came running to the ACT, and just as Kevin Rudd had been able to get Jon Stanhope signed up to health agreements, the first one to do so—you remember that back in, I think it was, 2010 where Jon Stanhope signed up and said, “Let us go to the bar”—Julia Gillard came down and said, “I need you to sign up to this deal.” Katy Gallagher and Joy Burch did.
Let me tell you, when you compare what was in the budget under the national partnership and special purpose payments with what the Chief Minister signed up to under Gonski, over those four years—and we are right in the middle of that now—there is $30 million less into the ACT school system. This minister and her Chief Minister, in order to try to provide some cover for their Labor mate, their sister up on the hill who was about to get knifed by Kevin Rudd and the factional overlords, were prepared to sign away $30 million of money from our school children. And that is what they did.
So when this mob come in here and dare lecture—
Ms Burch: Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order, is “mob” acceptable as parliamentary language?
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: No. Mr Hanson, refer to the members on the other side by their correct names.
Mr Doszpot: We did not say “rabble”; we said “mob”.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me, Mr Doszpot, that was the point of order. Mr Doszpot, have you got a point of order as well?
Mr Doszpot: No.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr Hanson, refer to members on the other side by their correct names.
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