Michael Ferguson (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I take great delight in speaking in support of the Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Amendment Bill 2007. What an extraordinary situation it is when the Labor Party fails to have speakers on this bill. I do not mind running down the corridors to deliver my contribution a little earlier than I was advised by the agreed speakers list—agreed, that is, between the whips—but I wonder why the Labor Party does not wish to speak on this bill. How embarrassing! Equally, what an extraordinary situation it is that speakers opposite would have stood to oppose an additional funding increase—very valuable funding—to deserving schools in every state and territory in our great country.

The amendment we are debating today will provide further funding in 2007 for state government schools under the highly regarded Investing in Our Schools Program. We have just heard from the Minister for Defence. It is really exciting to hear the Minister for Defence speak to this bill and it is quite an unusual situation. I think it is worth placing on record my appreciation for the Minister for Defence who, at the time of the 2004 election, was the Minister for Education, Science and Training—and a very good one. He began what needed to be the next wave of education reform in this country. I will never forget driving on the roads in north-east Tasmania—

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