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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-04 Daily Xml
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ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:27): Can the Premier please inform the house how South Australian schools will benefit from the economic stimulus package announced by the commonwealth government yesterday?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:27): I wish I had more notice of the question but I am delighted to get it. I am delighted that the Prime Minister has based a slice of his Building Australia Fund on what we have been doing right here in South Australia, and I will talk about that in a minute. The $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution package, announced by the Prime Minister yesterday, is the biggest single school modernisation program in Australian history. That is $14.7 billion more for schools—and the Liberal Party opposes it. They oppose the money going out to people in their homes for insulation. So, let's remember this right from the start: $14.7 billion extra for our schools and the Liberals oppose every cent of it being spent, including here in South Australia. South Australian schools are expected to receive more than—

Mrs Penfold: Shame on you!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Goodness gracious! She actually is speaking today in the house. It is good to see. South Australian schools are expected to receive more than $1 billion. This is a massive—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs Penfold interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You have to do some work in your electorate some time, you know. South Australian schools are expected to receive more than—

Mrs Penfold interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: There seems to be a bit of internal dissent on the other side. Of course, we know that the deputy leader is right behind the leader, just like he was right behind Iain Evans and Rob Kerin. She says—

Ms CHAPMAN: A point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will take his seat.

Ms CHAPMAN: Not only is the Premier debating, he is insulting a member of the house, the member for Flinders, in his statement, and I ask him to withdraw and apologise.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier will come to order. The house will calm down or the Speaker will vacate the chair. If the member for Flinders has taken exception to something the Premier has said, I am sure she is more than capable of bringing that to my attention herself. Nonetheless, the Premier is debating and needs to return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Can I just say that, when someone is screaming at you from the other side when you are speaking, I think it is—

Ms CHAPMAN: I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker. He is clearly defying your ruling in relation to this matter and attempting to re-debate an issue on which you have already ruled.

The SPEAKER: Order! If the Premier is defying my ruling, I am more than capable of dealing with that. I thank the deputy leader for her assistance but it is not required. However, the Premier must return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution package announced by Prime Minister Rudd yesterday is the biggest single school modernisation program in Australian history and it is opposed by the Liberal Party. South Australian schools are expected to receive more than $1 billion. We are putting in bids for at least $1 billion of that package to be spent in South Australia on our schools. That is maintenance programs for all schools and new building works for every single primary school in this state—and the Liberals oppose it. This is a massive investment in building even better schools for South Australia's children.

Today we on this side of the house join teachers, parents and students in welcoming this fabulous announcement. Today, the education minister and I have written to every school outlining this investment and encouraging school communities to quickly formulate projects that might benefit. Following my meeting with the Prime Minister and other premiers tomorrow, I will write to principals and school councils about how to apply for funds.

I met with the Prime Minister last week and told him about our government's School Pride initiative to improve school classrooms and the overall appearance of our schools. Through this program, we undertook the highest priority maintenance projects, upgraded science laboratories and improved school painting and signage in state schools. The School Pride program also benefited a large number of local contractors. It was about better schools and more jobs.

I am delighted that the Prime Minister has based a slice of his Building the Education Revolution on the work we have been doing right here in South Australia. This investment will also build on the $216 million Education Works building program, the biggest school rebuilding program in the state in more than three decades. So, biggest federal funding; biggest state funding. We are building six completely brand-new schools in metropolitan Adelaide and investing in 20 children centres and 10 trade schools for the future.

I will be leaving for Canberra later today and meeting with the Prime Minister tomorrow morning to discuss the details of this announcement. I will be informing Mr Rudd that the SA education department has started work on a plan that will deliver the projects in the quickest possible time frame and make the best use of local tradespeople and contractors. We will be writing to schools again next week inviting them to submit project proposals that meet the criteria established by the commonwealth. Today, the education minister and I visited Parkside Primary School where the community has advanced plans for an activity hall, and we expect this and other similar projects will be eligible for funds from the federal government.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Apparently the local MP for Unley does not want them to get this federal funding. We look forward to receiving more information from the Rudd government in the coming days so we can get moving to make this exciting investment a reality.

Following my meeting with the Prime Minister, next week I will write to every South Australian school inviting them to submit project proposals that meet the criteria established by the commonwealth. Over the past seven years, more than $790 million has been invested into improving state school building across South Australia. This is about improving our schools, providing local jobs with local contractors. It is about getting rid of the red tape to have this happen. However, if I see one letter from a Liberal MP saying, 'We want some of this money here and there,' I will be saying, 'Get on the phone to Malcolm Turnbull and tell him to get in behind Australian schools.'

Ms CHAPMAN: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is clearly debate again.

The SPEAKER: I am not sure it was but I think that the Premier has finished, in any case.

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