Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Well, it may have been an article based on the advice that she is now showing. But I am aware of those reports, and obviously, when we see reports that there is an expenditure beyond what the guidelines provide for, we look into it. But the arrangements between us and state governments and block grant authorities in the Catholic and independent sectors are very, very clear. We made those guidelines clear because we wanted to ensure that project costs and administration costs were kept to a minimum and that this money rolled out to schools to support jobs now.

What I would say to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition—and I would say it to all members of the opposition—is that at the end of the day the central part of this debate is: do you support jobs today? Do you support building infrastructure for tomorrow?

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