Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Carr. Will the minister advise how many schools slated for closure around Australia have received funding under the so-called Building the Education Revolution program?

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

The government’s program for Building the Education Revolution involves the single largest modernisation of Australia’s schools in our history. That is $14.7 billion. It will boost jobs and it will boost investment in Australia’s long-term future by building or upgrading schools.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Even if they’re going to close.

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

Every school across the country, Senator. It will provide support for local communities in a way that has yet to be provided by any government in the history of this Commonwealth. I would hope that opposition senators would be advising schools in their communities that they are working with as to whether or not they support this program. I would hope that opposition senators might actually have the courage of their convictions and, instead of coming into this chamber and opposing these measures, would go to the community.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on the grounds of relevance. The question asked by Senator Mason was very, very simple: how many schools that were being closed were to get the grants? It is one minute 17 seconds into the answer and the minister has not even gone anywhere near answering. So I ask under standing orders that you direct the minister to answer the question in a directly relevant way.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: the Minister representing the Minister for Education is and has been relevant to the point that has been raised. We are now into 1½ minutes, or slightly over that, where the answer is being provided. It is going to the issue of the schools and the minister is being relevant to the question. What we now have is the opposition seeking to utilise this approach as another way of re-asking their question. The minister has been apprised of the question, it was asked and the minister should be allowed in this instance to answer the question that was provided.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, I draw your attention to the fact that there are 46 seconds left to answer the question and that the question that has been raised by Senator Mason needs to be addressed.

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

Thank you, Mr President. What is occurring here is that some $14.7 billion has been provided right across Australia. The program involves some 5,115 schools, with a total of some 6,983 projects involved to date—some $9.19 billion. What we are seeing through these primary school initiatives is that the Commonwealth provides support to the states, who administer the actual allocations of program moneys to the states in each of the jurisdictions across the Commonwealth. What I do return to is a simple proposition. (Time expired)

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister assure the Senate that the Commonwealth is receiving value for money on the projects funded under Building the Education Revolution? Are the most competitive tenders being chosen in each case? Are buildings being built in accordance with the industry rate for similar structures in every case? Have the proper tender processes been observed in every single case?

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

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. As the minister seems unable to assure the Senate that the proper tender processes have been followed, will the minister further advise the Senate how many schools have had their requests for capital works overruled in favour of facilities that they neither need nor want?

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

Senator Mason is familiar enough with this area to know the way the education system of this country operates. The administration of individual schools is the responsibility of school authorities, whether they be state governments, the Catholic education offices or the independent schools. Individual school authorities have responsibilities. However, our responsibility is to the Australian people. Our responsibility is to ensure that projects are brought on quickly and at the appropriate standard, that we provide jobs and we provide infrastructure for the future. Our responsibility is to defend this country and to ensure that proper productivity arrangements are made for the future through investment in education. What is your responsibility? Your responsibility is to tell the truth. Do you support these projects or do you not support them? Go out to the schools of this country and tell the local communities whether you support these measures, yes or no.