My question is addressed to the Minister for Education, Science and Training. Would the minister inform the House how the government is working towards greater consistency in Australian schools? Is she aware of any alternative views, and what is the government’s response?

I thank the member for Macquarie for his question, and I note his deep interest in developing education policy for this nation. Earlier this month the Australian government put on the agenda of the next education ministers’ meeting in April a proposal for greater national consistency in curriculum. We are seeking higher standards of education in our schools through national consistency in curriculum. We want to set benchmarks for assessments across the country and, specifically for year 12 certificates, we want a consistent national approach for assessment and reporting.

We see this is as a national priority. Wherever a student lives they should have access to high-quality education and high-quality curriculum. We want it to represent world’s best practice and have Australia’s national curriculum benchmarked internationally. And we do not want students, or indeed teachers, to be disadvantaged as they move between states.

I am asked about any alternative policies or views. Labor do have some policies on education, and every single one has been a failure. Here is the totality. Members will remember the ALP education policy of the century. Remember Knowledge Nation? Remember that that was the policy to beat all policies that was instantly dismissed as a joke. ‘Noodle nation’ was then shot down in flames—not only by their own side but across the board. I do recall that the member for Brand took the fall for the discredited ‘noodle nation’ policy. They made the member for Brand take the fall for that. Members will be interested to know who the other authors of ‘noodle nation’ were. Hands up! The other authors of ‘noodle nation’—

Mr Sawford interjecting

Order! The member for Port Adelaide is warned!

Where’s your big boots and your whip?

Order! The member for Bruce is warned!

Members would be interested to know that, while the member for Brand took the fall on ‘noodle nation’, there were two other authors of ‘noodle nation’ that have not yet revealed themselves—none other than the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Perth. Take a bow, Member for Griffith and Member for Perth, for ‘noodle nation’.

Then we had the third education policy. This was Mark Latham’s ‘schools hit list’. Members will recall that the Labor Party wanted to rip the heart out of Catholic and independent schools. Their crime? They were private schools. This was discredited because of the ugly politics of envy—the ‘schools hit list’ of Mark Latham.

Absolute rubbish!

Order! The member for Fowler has been warned. She continues to interject. She will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Fowler then left the chamber.

So we have Mark Latham’s discredited ‘schools hit list’ policy. But this year where does Labor get its policy inspiration from? None other—

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

The member for Calwell!

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

The member for Calwell is warned!

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

The member for Calwell has been called to order. She has been warned. She continues to interject. She will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Calwell then left the chamber.

So after Mark Latham’s discredited ‘schools hit list’ policy, what do Labor come up with this year? They are now taking their policy inspiration from Mark ‘Education Revolution’ Latham. Another one hits the dust.

Then we have the maths and science policy of Labor that has been proven not to work. Cutting HECS has been proven not to work. We have the architect of HECS, Bruce Chapman, coming out and saying it will not work. This is the architect employed by Labor to introduce the HECS system. He says Labor’s policy to cut HECS in maths and science will not work. And the unkindest cut of all: the Queensland Teachers Union says Labor’s policy will not work. So even their own side says it will not work. That was, until yesterday, the totality of Labor’s education policies. By yesterday they had run out of ideas so they started pinching somebody else’s homework. Labor on education gets an ‘F’ for ‘Fail’.