House debates Questions without Notice
Education Funding
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:00 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. The coalition went to the last election claiming to be on an absolute unity ticket with Labor on school funding. Labor's plan would have delivered $14.65 billion in additional funding for schools to implement Labor's Gonski plan. Can the Prime Minister guarantee that an additional $14.65 billion will be invested in Australian schools under his panicked deal yesterday?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
These questions were no good yesterday, and they are even worse today. We were on a unity ticket with the Labor Party when the Labor Party was promising $2.8 billion over the forward estimates. What happened was that just a few weeks before election day the member opposite ripped $1.2 billion out. They ripped $1.2 billion out and now they are complaining because we are putting back the money they ripped out.
Mr Husic interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Chifley will desist and withdraw his comment.
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
I withdraw.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
So, members opposite broke the unity ticket. They broke the unity ticket. They abandoned the dream team when they deceitfully and disingenuously ripped $1.2 billion out of school funding.