Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

No. The answer is clear. I am not certain of what Mr McGaw has said or has not said. What I can say is that the government is committed to ensuring that people do have the opportunity to send their children to the schools of their choice. There has been no suggestion anywhere in the government that people are not entitled to send their children to religious based schools. We do expect schools to meet the criteria of all schools in Australia. We do expect the quality assurance mechanisms to be available for all children in Australia. We do expect that state governments will play their part in ensuring the maintenance of those quality assurance mechanisms. But under no circumstances has anyone anywhere within this government suggested that there be a prohibition on people sending their children to a particular school based on their religious beliefs.