Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Here we have the National Party campaigning against the rollout of infrastructure across the nation—the rolling out of roads across National Party electorates, the rolling out of rail infrastructure across the nation, the enhancement of ports across the nation, the building of schools in each and every National Party electorate contained within this parliament. I really wonder what planet the National Party sometimes lives on because it is completely detached from what their constituents are saying.

Buried within that question from the Leader of the National Party is the following: that the expenditure currently going to the building of schools in each and every National Party electorate represented in this parliament is not wanted. Is that what the Leader of the National Party is saying? Is that what the member for Wide Bay is saying? He does not want any funding for any school in his electorate? He is hiding in his papers. Is that what he is saying? Is there anyone over there from the National Party interested in funding for their schools? I ask myself why is it that my good friend and colleague here, the Minister for Infrastructure—a term which was missing from the vocabulary of those opposite for their 12 years in office—constantly gets representations from National Party members about more to be done. I am looking at the Minister for Education—truckloads of correspondence; is there any from National Party members?

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