Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Greenway for her question. I know of her abiding interest in education. The fact is that this is a truly historic day for education in our country. The introduction of the Australian Education Bill marks a turning point away from the politics of division and negativity towards the new national focus on improving education for every student in every school, irrespective of where they are living and irrespective of their means.

The Australian Education Bill, which was introduced this morning by the Prime Minister, is the next big step in this government's response to the most comprehensive review of school funding that we have had in nearly 40 years. That review—the Gonski review—said that the current funding system was broken, that too many students were being left behind, particularly students from poorer communities, Indigenous communities and students from regional areas. On this side of the House—

See this speech in context