House debates

Tuesday, 3 June 2008

Questions without Notice

Schools Funding

2:57 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. That is why when they were chairs of the Sydney Airport Community Forum, if they go back and look at their files, the member for Bradfield and the member for North Sydney were both supportive—to their credit—of expanding the insulation scheme. Just as last Friday, when the member for Cook, who has asked this question, moved a motion, guess who voted for it? The representatives of the member for Bradfield, the member for North Sydney and the member for Wentworth all asked for an expansion of the insulation scheme at the Sydney Airport Community Forum last Friday—just three days ago.

They have lost the plot on this issue, because they also raised this at Senate estimates last week and Senator McGauran made an interesting contribution. Remember, he is the guy who was a Nat and is now a Lib. He has got ahead of the amalgamation game: he has been in both in one term. This is what Senator McGauran had to say about Fort Street High School:

... it is one of the most prestigious and expensive schools in Sydney, and it is not willing to contribute a dollar ...

He said this was a ‘very wealthy school’ and he went on to say:

... this is quite a high profile private school. It can meet at least ... some of its costs ...

Public schools get funded through taxation. This is a public school. It deserves insulation, just as Newington deserved insulation—

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