Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Aside from the fact that this year's budget is fundamentally unfair, one of its problems is its lack of vision for the future. In many areas of the budget, we see funding dropping off after two to three years. So what is this government's vision for the future? What will Australia look like in 30, 40 or 50 years time? What will be the jobs of the future and what skills will we need to take us there? In his Budget reply speech the Leader of the Opposition outlined how Labor will address these issues in government and our plan for the future and the decades to come. He outlined a plan that builds beyond the mining boom to capitalise on the imagination and adaptability of our people. He outlined a plan that places infrastructure, education, small business, science, technology, innovation and start-ups at the centre of Labor's vision—a plan that cultivates and attracts the best minds and supports out great institutions and encourages home our talented expatriates. He outlined the skills Labor believes will be needed for our future leaders and the jobs of the future—skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That is why Labor will invest in digital technologies and computer science and ensure coding in every primary and secondary school in Australia. We have a vision for this country, for the jobs of the future, where opportunity is shared by all—a stark contrast to those opposite.