EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Why has it taken the government four years to adopt the Liberal Party plan for a second city high school and to adopt the Liberal Party plan for a stand-alone autism school?

The SPEAKER: Can the member for Unley confirm that he read that contribution? Did you read that contribution?

Mr PISONI: I had some notes, sir.

The SPEAKER: Copious notes; excellent, good. The Minister for Education.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:10): What I can confirm today is that we have made a raft of major announcements in relation to education here in South Australia, education that will improve the lot of children in this state. We want our kids to leave school with the best education we can possibly provide. That means providing them with teachers who have the highest qualifications; that means providing them with high quality school environments; that means investing in our schools and the redevelopment and expanding of Adelaide High School and the other major high schools in the near city.

We are doing a range of things in relation to improving our schools. Importantly, we signed a six-year deal with the federal government for $1.1 billion of investment here in South Australia for children in our schools. However, what we find out is that not only is $400 million being scrapped, but $1.2 billion is now out of the funding envelope—

Mr PISONI: I have a point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Point of order for the member for Unley.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —so we have less money, with more states.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education is called to order for continuing to speak after I had called on a point of order.

Mr PISONI: I know that the minister has been talking up Liberal policies on education all week, but the question was specifically about the government taking on the Liberal Party—

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned for the first time for taking an entirely bogus point of order—in fact, never getting to the point of order—just for the purpose of making an impromptu speech. Is the Minister for Education finished?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: But wait, there is more.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: There is more, sir. Christopher Pyne was quoted as saying, on 30 August in The Australian, that they would honour the commitment that the Labor government made, the same amount of money would be going to our schools. What we know now is that he has expanded the number of states involved in a smaller envelope of money. So, rather than $2.8 billion it is down to $1.6 billion. It would be really nice to hear the member for Unley standing up for our schools—

The SPEAKER: No; the minister is not responsible for the member for Unley.