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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-10 Daily Xml
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SCHOOL COMPUTERS

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:18): My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer rule out school councils paying for the shortfall in funding from the federal government for its education revolution? Yesterday, the Treasurer when questioned by the opposition said, 'Yes, I rule out parents paying for it,' but he did not rule out school councils paying for it.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:18): You know, you have to say that this is extraordinary. The federal government is giving funding to schools, and all the opposition can talk about is blame and complaints.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: We heard last week that there would be a $17 million bill for electricity; he said that there would be a $17 million bill for electricity if we bought new computers. It is nonsense. He plucks numbers from the air. Almost a billion dollars is being given to schools for computer equipment.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Unley will come to order. The Minister for Education has the call.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: Almost a billion dollars is going to schools to buy infrastructure, and they were claiming yesterday that $3 billion would be the cost of that investment. It never stops.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Unley. I point out to him that it is not necessary to interject. I am more than happy to give any member the call. All they have to do is hop up on their legs, and, if there is something the minister has said which is not clear, I am more than happy to give them the call. Interjecting and trying to shout over the minister is just not necessary. The Minister for Education.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: The member for Unley has to understand that we are getting a massive investment in schools in South Australia—

Mr WILLIAMS: I have a point of order, Mr Speaker. The question was specific. Will the minister rule it out, or not? That was all we asked. Will she rule it out, or not?

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education and Children's Services.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: And I reiterate: only the Liberals would complain about money being invested in schools.

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