Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The senator's genuine interest in education does not defend her asking a really quite inane question that is part of a political argument to again try to scare Australians. The reality is, as I explained to the senator, that the indexation arrangements will provide for any increased costs that schools incur. If the National Party were really interested in the imposition of electricity costs on schools, they would have a chat to governments like the Western Australian state government, which has put electricity prices up by over 50 per cent in the last three years without one cent of compensation to anybody. So for the coalition to come into the parliament and say, 'We're really concerned about compensation for an approximately seven per cent increase in electricity,' means that quite frankly they have no credibility. It is a silly, political tactic. Interest in schools means supporting serious investment in schools, which is what this government has done.