Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Education. I refer the minister to reports that small business firms are unable to navigate the bewildering set of standards and policies imposed as part of the schools stimulus debacle without spending at least $10,000 on a consultant. How does this fit with the government’s claim that the schools stimulus package would create local jobs for small business men like tradies, chippies and sparkies? Or is the government simply content to see contracts go to large government-favoured firms?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I presume the member is referring to some publicity about state government contracting obligations. Can I say in respect of that that various state governments do have obligations for people working on schools. They include things like doing the working with children check—and I presume the member would agree that people who are working in proximity to children ought to acquit such a check. They include checks about things like your occupational health and safety accreditation—once again, things that are appropriate.

Can I say to the member, if he is in any doubt about the small business people who are working on schools under this program, I am very happy for him to come with me one day and meet some of them, because as I have gone to schools around the country I have found people from small businesses who are engaged in the rollout of our National School Pride program—of course hitting the ground first—and increasingly engaged in the delivery of rounds 1 and 2 of Primary Schools for the 21st Century, the construction of the major buildings in our primary schools, which are part of the biggest school modernisation program the country has ever seen.

We want small business people to be able to access these opportunities. We are working with state governments and block grant authorities as this rolls out. Yes, there are levels of checks and credentials to make sure that people who are working in Australian schools come from reputable businesses and have acquitted necessary checks like the working with children check. I would have thought all members of the House support that.