James Bidgood (Dawson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Through the chair, I say to the other side of politics: our children will be poorer for not having this investment. This is like a seed that you plant, and 10, 15 or 20 years later the whole nation will reap the benefit from the investment in the education of every child to develop them to their full potential.

I can tell you that every principal and every teacher I have spoken to has said that this is the best thing that has ever happened. And history will record that, so far, this is the biggest investment there has ever been in education. We in the Rudd Labor government are proud of that because we believe in our kids and we believe in giving the kids of this nation, regardless of who they are or where they come from or what their backgrounds are, an equal opportunity to maximise their abilities. That is the least we can do for the future generations, and every teacher and every principal is right behind that.

Also, there is $33.3 million for the government’s Skilling Australia for the Future programs. This funding will deliver 20,000 vocational education and training places that are aimed at people currently outside the workforce. Retraining is a key component. I am a baby boomer and I started life in the print trade. I did 20 years in the print trade as a darkroom technician, final film planner and platemaker. Those skills are completely obsolete now, and I am 50 this year.

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