Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform. How is the government helping families meet the costs of education, like school books and uniforms? Minister, what are the obstacles to this support?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fowler very much for his question. He does understand how important it is to spread the benefits of the mining boom especially to those Australians who are not living in the fast lane, who are not benefiting from this mining boom, in many parts of Australia. As the Treasurer has just indicated, the Schoolkids Bonus has now passed the Senate—of course, no thanks to anyone opposite; absolutely no thanks to anyone over there.

The new Schoolkids Bonus will benefit 1.3 million families and I am very pleased to say to the member for Fowler that it will benefit around 13,000 families in the electorate of Fowler. That means that families with primary school aged children will receive $410 a year, and $820 for each secondary school student. The good news for families is that this money will come when they need it: at the start of term 1 and the start of term 3.

I was very interested to hear on Radio National this morning the member for Sturt, who actually thinks that this is a good idea. He does seem to understand, as a result of his comments, that the big costs associated with children going to school come in January and February, when parents need to really get out there and pay for the new schools and books and all the other things. I just say to the member for Sturt: that is exactly what this legislation does—it delivers to families when they need it. But of course the member for Sturt, along with everybody over there, just wanted to say no, and they opposed the legislation yesterday.

While they were trying every single trick in the book, every trick they could try yesterday to prevent families getting this money, this government has got on with it and will make sure that the Schoolkids Bonus is delivered to those parents that need it. The real test is going to be for the Leader of the Opposition tonight. Tonight we will hear how the Leader of the Opposition is going to justify giving billions of dollars to Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer while he says no to families.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is straying!

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last year the Leader of the Opposition talked about forgotten families. Well, he certainly has forgotten them.