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

The Commonwealth department of education provides estimates in regard to individual school projects taking into account the full cost of the projects. The Commonwealth is committed to ensuring value for money for the Commonwealth expenditures but also ensuring that appropriate standards are maintained. It is a disappointment to me to see that the coalition often peddles claims about the cost of projects that are not measured against the actual standards of provision that are required. There are guidelines in terms of the provision of moneys whether schools are either closing down or amalgamating. The advice that the states are providing to the Commonwealth to date is that those guidelines are being followed. We are determined to ensure value for money. We are determined to ensure that these projects also provide—(Time expired)