Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Prime Minister on education. I again refer to the OECD report card 2007. Prime Minister, isn’t it the case that expenditure on early childhood education in Australia is just 0.1 per cent of GDP compared to an OECD average of 0.5 per cent, placing us equal last for the eighth year in a row? Prime Minister, in the absence of an education revolution, isn’t the nation at risk of leaving our children with a worse education system from the one the nation inherited?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that at the beginning of question time the Leader of the Opposition is given a script by the tactics committee. But, when you are confronted with the reality that the report on which the script is based is fundamentally wrong and does not contain any of the policy announcements that have been made, initiatives since 2004—can I just remind him again that the report leaves out—

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Ripoll interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Oxley is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

75 per cent of our vocational education expenditure.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Brendan O’Connor interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Gorton then left the chamber.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: on what basis did you just exclude the member for Gorton?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business would be well aware that, if he has questions to ask of the Speaker, he will ask them at the appropriate time.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it is a point of order. On what basis did you exclude the member for Gorton from this parliament?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business would be well aware that, if he wishes to challenge the exercising of 94(a), he should do so under other things; otherwise, I will insist he resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: under what standing order have you excluded the member for Gorton?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer is, very simply, 94(a).

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move that the Speaker’s ruling be dissented from.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The members on my right are not assisting. I say to the Manager of Opposition Business that exercising standing order 94(a) is not a ruling; it is a direction. Therefore, the member cannot dissent from the use of 94(a).

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move that that ruling be dissented from.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I say to the Manager of Opposition Business that that is not a ruling; it is a direction.