Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:45 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that the government has ruled out further cuts to foreign aid, will the Prime Minister also rule out cutting $9½ billion to New South Wales schools, as is clear from your 2014-15 budget overview here, at page 7?
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Madam Speaker, it is not a prop; it is a fact.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The Leader of the Opposition is not well acquainted with the truth of the situation, funnily enough.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will not raise the prop.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Let me inform the Leader of the Opposition exactly what we are doing for the schools of New South Wales. Year on year, schools funding in New South Wales grows by seven per cent, eight per cent, nine per cent and six per cent—
Ms Ryan interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
which is a combined increase in funding for New South Wales schools of 33 per cent over the next four years—a 33 per cent increase in funding, and somehow the Leader of the Opposition turns that into a cut.
Mr Conroy interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
This is Mr Anybody-Can-Be-Somebody—the great political philosopher. Anybody can be somebody. The Irish political philosopher—
Opposition members interjecting—
I shouldn't have—I don’t want to get into any more trouble! I know not all Irishmen have a sense of humour these days! It is the Leader of the Opposition who says that when you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.
An honourable member: Especially the low road!
Always the low road, from this Leader of the Opposition. But to put his mind at rest: school funding in New South Wales goes up by seven per cent, eight per cent, nine per cent and six per cent. That is a 33 per cent increase in funding for New South Wales schools over the next four years, and we can do that sustainably, because we want to get the budget under control. What we have already done is cut Labor's debt and deficit by half. We have stopped the boats, we have scrapped the carbon tax and we have cut Labor's debt and deficit by half going forward. That is why we can afford to provide more funding to New South Wales schools.