Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am sorry, Mr Deputy President, for talking while other senators are interjecting. I do take note that Senator Cash from Western Australia jumped to the defence of the Barnett state government’s increase in energy charges of 47 per cent. Senator Adams sat quietly and listened, but Senator Cash is all of a sudden a defendant for higher electricity charges in Western Australia. Senator Cash, well done! The West Australians must be so proud of your stance. Through you, Mr Deputy President, well done, Senator Cash!

It does give me pleasure to talk about the nation-building stimulus package in particular. It was very rewarding to be able to travel through the great state of Western Australia to open up a lot of these Building the Education Revolution projects. Mr Deputy President, as you would be aware $16.2 billion was set aside for Building the Education Revolution. I must say not only do I enjoy going to the openings but so do the Liberal members in Western Australia because they are always pushing their way to the front to get their photos taken even though—I think the record will correct me if I am wrong—I am sure they voted against every stimulus in this chamber when we were putting them through in 2009. When the government was pushing the legislation through not one of them on that side actually came over to this side and voted with the government. They voted against it, so why would they be pushing to get to the photographers to get their photos taken at every opening? That is interesting, but it is all nice; it is all good.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending some four Building the Education Revolution great stories in the federal seat of Hasluck. At Thornlie Primary School they also celebrated their 50th anniversary and I saw the early childhood learning centre that was opened there and the delight of the preschool kiddies that turned up sitting in their uniforms in the new undercover area next to the music and arts centre. It was a fantastic achievement and how thankful not only the P&C, but the teachers, the staff, the parents and the principals of these schools are that the federal government stimulated the economy and kept the employers employing contractors and employees and now they are seeing the reward in their school community with their new education centres. I also had the pleasure of visiting Lesmurdie Primary School. It was the same story. I also went along to Hillside where there was exactly the same story. I am talking about the great work that was done by a very responsible government through the greatest financial challenge that this country and the world faced since the 1930s.

Those on that side have obviously forgotten about it but, mind you, if I had a deputy leader like theirs at the time, the member for Curtin, saying we should just sit on our hands and wait or just look, I would be pretty quiet too. Mind you, I would not have the gall to be pushing my way to the front for a photo opportunity every time one of these buildings is opened, but still they love it, I love it, the parents love it.

The Nobel laureate in economics, Professor Stiglitz, was out here a few months back and he actually commended the Australian government. I think his words were along the lines that it was probably the best economic stimulus that he had seen and thank goodness that the government did move early to create employment opportunities and to put dollars in the pockets of ordinary Australians so that they would get out and stimulate the economy. In all fairness, with no disrespect to the opposition senators over there, I think a recommendation from Professor Stiglitz goes a lot further than pushing your way to the front for a photo opportunity at a school.