Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

During question time, the PM inferred that I had offered—by my enforced silence at that moment—that I had no criticism of his education cash splash in my electorate. I refer the House to yesterday’s Proof Hansard, in which I said:

Then there are school buildings. There is the government’s—

that is, the Howard government’s—

$1.2 billion Investing in Our Schools Program, which was funded with cash and gave school principals and local parents groups the opportunity to spend up to $150,000 on buildings or equipment.

I went on to say:

Very few schools in my electorate applied for the full amount of $150,000, although some could have wisely spent more. But this budget forces them to take another $200,000. It is like feeding a pate goose: you have it forced down your throat whether you need it or not … But is it going to improve the education of the children—

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