I move:

That:

(a)

the Senate notes recommendation 1 of the interim report of the Building the Education Revolution (BER) Implementation Taskforce (the Orgill report), which reads as follows, ‘In the interest of transparency and public accountability, the Taskforce recommends that each education authority publish school specific project cost data related to BER P21 in a nationally common structure with consistent definitions’; and

(b)

in the interest of transparency and public accountability in relation to the BER program, there be laid on the table no later than Tuesday, 23 November 2010, school specific project cost data related to each BER P21 school project, in a nationally common structure with consistent definitions.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave is granted for two minutes.

I thank the opposition. The government does not support Senator Mason’s motion. The information that Senator Mason is requesting was, as I understand it, discussed at great length on Thursday, 21 October 2010, during supplementary budget estimates. During that time the government agreed to provide the structure of school-specific cost data in December 2010 if the release was agreed to by education authorities. The government intends to honour this commitment.

The additional information that Senator Mason is now requesting is not held, as I understand it, by government. Senator Mason is aware of that, although I am not aware of whether he is aware of that. I am informed he is. This is the reason the government does not support the motion.

Question agreed to.