Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I would make the point that, with the abolition of the carbon tax, schools will save $85 million a year on expenses from the carbon tax. That is $340 million over four years. It is $340 million that they will not have to pay in taxes to Canberra. They will then get a choice. Many schools and, in many cases, education departments will decide that they can put that $340 million instead into sporting equipment, into IT upgrades, into new classrooms and, dare I say it, into school halls—things that students will be able to use every day in their school to improve the outcomes for their education. Labor would prefer that that $340 million sat in the coffers of the tax office in Canberra rather than circulate in the economy, being used by schools to improve educational outcomes.

On this side of the House we know that, if we abolish the carbon tax, $340 million more will be used by schools for better student outcomes. Worse than that, if Labor is re-elected in 2016 they plan to bring the carbon tax back. They plan to reintroduce the carbon tax. So the choice is very clear. If you vote for the coalition there will be no carbon tax after 2016.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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