House debates Questions without Notice
Building the Education Revolution
Rowan Ramsey Grey, Liberal Party
3:32 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education. Can the minister confirm that the Lake Wangary Primary School on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia has received a second-round school stimulus debacle grant for $850,000 to construct—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! I am only interrupting just to illustrate that even in the application of the standing orders this use of the word ‘debacle’, which I have allowed, is outside the standing orders.
Rowan Ramsey Grey, Liberal Party
I will rephrase that, Mr Speaker. Can the minister confirm that the Lake Wangary Primary School on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia has received a second-round school stimulus grant for $850,000 to construct a new multipurpose hall when the school council chairman has obtained a quote showing the same building could be constructed for just $250,000? Will the minister explain how this represents value for money?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I can certainly confirm two things. I can confirm that this school will be getting funding, because every school will be getting funding, including every school in Grey. And the second thing I can confirm is that the member for Grey voted against it. They are the two things that I can confirm for sure.
Luke Hartsuyker Cowper, National Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is on relevance. Mr Speaker, we can confirm $600,000 is wasted.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member for Cowper will resume his seat. The minister is responding to the question.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Speaker, they come in here and they say that they are opposed to spending on these schools, they say that there is waste in these schools, and yet back in their electorates they are out there supporting it. I can confirm that people in the southern part of Australia have said this:
The electorate has also been in the fortunate position to have received a number of federal funding grants to improve and support the local community. Along with funding towards the Wantirna South Sports Complex, over 40 primary and secondary schools as well as special needs educational—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Mr Pyne interjecting
Harry Jenkins Speaker
First of all, the minister will resume his seat, the Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat, just for the moment, and the member for Sturt will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).
The member for Sturt then left the chamber.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This circumnavigation of the globe of irrelevance has to stop.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
He is travelling—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
all over Australia—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat!
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I was asked a question about Building the Education Revolution; I am giving an answer about Building the Education Revolution and they do not like it. Well, they say they don’t like it, but this is what they say in their newsletters. This is what the member for Aston said in his newsletter: that schools in Aston are beneficiaries of successful applications for federal funding.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition can only be raising relevance. The minister is responding to the question.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I would like to make my point of order.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
No. I am in a position to make a ruling. No, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
I would like to make my point of order.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I would like the opportunity—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
She has the opportunity to make the point of order, Member for McEwen. If you have a point of order, you would have an opportunity, too, but you do not have an opportunity to interject, because that is actually against the standing orders. The only point of order that you could be raising is relevance and I have ruled that the minister is responding to the question.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
In their newsletters they are actually outlining every school that is getting funding in their electorates and claiming credit for it. That is what they are doing back in their electorates.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The minister will resume his seat. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat and the member for Mackellar will resume her seat.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop interjecting
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Excuse me, Member for Mackellar, sometimes I am doing things for absolutely appropriate reasons and they will be revealed, if the member for Mackellar would please resume her seat. Having checked that I had not warned the member for Tangney, the member for Tangney will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a). He has now allowed me to illustrate that I am putting into practice a precedent set by Speaker Jenkins Sr by his actually displaying a sign with an unparliamentary word.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
3:39 pm
I move:
That the member for Tangney be suspended from the service of the House.
Question put.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member for Tangney is suspended from the service of the House under standing order 94(b) for 24 hours.
The member for Tangney then left the chamber.
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.