House debates

Wednesday, 18 October 2006

Statements by Members

Iraq; Stirling Electorate: School Infrastructure

10:07 am

Photo of Michael KeenanMichael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise to talk about the shocking neglect by the Labor state government in Western Australia of our state schools. Before doing so, I want to clarify an exchange that I had earlier with the member for Chisholm, who quoted an extraordinarily fallacious figure of about 600,000 dead in the Iraq conflict based on a report that had been produced and that received some publicity this week. Although it is very difficult to get a correct estimate of how many people have been killed, the official estimates are substantially lower than that. We need to reflect on the methodology used in that report, which was done by a North American organisation. The methodology involved a phone poll of an extraordinarily small sample from which they extrapolated the number of dead in that conflict. That is an unbelievably flimsy way to get information and it is an extraordinary assumption for them to make. I totally reject the figure and I do not think honourable members should use it.

The Western Australian government, sadly, has all but abandoned students and parents in my electorate of Stirling. When visiting my local schools, as I do often, I am shocked to see the decaying buildings and infrastructure that is occurring on every level. The Carpenter Labor government is completely failing our educators. The Western Australian Labor government is swimming in cash. It has a surplus of $2.2 billion and collects $1,000 more from every Western Australian than the Court Liberal government did. In fact, it is the highest taxing government in Australia.

Yet, when a school in my electorate of Stirling requires vital infrastructure, it is up to the Howard government to provide it. When I have visited these schools, principals have said to me that without the Howard government no infrastructure would be built at their school. I have been shown white ant infested walls of a main school building. I have been shown playgrounds that are no longer appropriate.

The Investing in our Schools program has provided our local schools with the vital funding to complete projects for classroom improvements, library resources, computer facilities, air conditioning, play equipment and outdoor shade structures. The $700 million provided by the Investing in our Schools program is in addition to the $1.2 billion that is provided by the Howard government to support state school capital works projects undertaken between 2005-08.

I call on the Carpenter Labor government to start using some of its record surplus to support local schools and their hardworking teachers and to fulfil its responsibilities to our young people in Western Australia and follow the lead of the Howard government through our marvellous Investing in our Schools program.

Photo of Ian CausleyIan Causley (Page, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 193 the time for members’ statements has concluded.