House debates

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Bills

Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013; Consideration in Detail

6:17 pm

Photo of Kate EllisKate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Kingston has a very good point. We wish it was unusual when it comes to this government. We have had just five sitting days and this government is proudly on the fifth sitting day cutting the funding for 1.3 million Australian families, funding which goes towards supporting the costs of their children's education. So if those opposite want to be proud about that, then I think that they should have a long and hard think about the 'unusually cruel' message from grandparents of Australia. If you do not want to listen to the grandparents, that is one thing—

Mr Ciobo interjecting

They want their Schoolkids Bonus cut, do they?

Mr Ciobo interjecting

Even the member opposite will not admit that they want it. I want to share with you what some other Australians have said about the Schoolkids Bonus. We have been receiving a lot of feedback about just how important this legislation is.

Isabel, for example, said, 'The Schoolkids Bonus has helped my family and community go to school, to buy uniforms and schoolbooks as well as many other things which are just vital to an education. The Abbott government is cutting so much more than financial aid, but opportunities and disadvantaged families.'

Mr Ciobo interjecting

Now the member opposite might like to think that Isabel does not exist, but she does and there are thousands more of them. There are thousands like Simone who said that she was among many who have said that she had used it for books and uniforms, and she just does not know how she will be able to get all of these books for her children next year under this government.

Then there is Karen. Karen makes a very good point about the greater cost to the local community when she says, 'I think most parents who are eligible would have used it on school uniforms, on shoes and stationery. Small business will miss out too. Kids still need items but, let's face it, you have to make sure it's budgeted for and that means being much more frugal with Christmas shopping and groceries and holiday activities over the Christmas break.' She says, 'I would like to know what the total amount was that was budgeted for, because it would have worked as a stimulus to our economy. It would have helped support small business in our economy.'

This is shameful. It is sneaky and it is deceitful. The Liberal government must stop cutting education funding. (Time expired)

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