Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Can the minister confirm that over the last 11 years government investment in education has fallen from two per cent of GDP in 1995-96 to 1.6 per cent of GDP? Can the minister explain how this can be a budget about the future if investment in education has fallen so dramatically over the life of the Howard government? Isn’t the education package announced in the budget just a cynical attempt to deflect attention from earlier cuts by this government and its failure to invest in education over the last 11 years?