Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

These are the words of a school principal who wrote to me. The member for Mackellar might like to reflect on that before she interjects.

I have also received a letter from Vicki Rose Graydon, the Principal of Glenleighden School in Fig Tree Pocket in Queensland. I note that that school is in the electorate of Ryan. In her letter Ms Graydon says:

As a small special school educating students with severe primary language disorder, this funding—

that is, $850,000—

is vitally needed to construct a building to house a library as well as our multipurpose rooms to be used for therapy and manual arts. Our plans are close to being finalised and we look forward to being able to commence construction in the next couple of months. Thank you again for providing funding which enables the Glenleighden School to achieve its mission of supporting children and young people with language disorders to reach their educational and personal potential.

That is a very moving statement. I note, though, that on 4 February the member for Ryan put out a press release which stated that Labor’s second stimulus package which delivered the Building the Education Revolution program is an example of reckless spending at a time when we should be acting prudently. I trust the member for Ryan has got the guts to go to the special school in his electorate and explain his views about how the refurbishments and changes that are being funded by the Building the Education Revolution program at his school are an example of a reckless spend. Obviously, the opposition continue to be in denial about the importance of the Building the Education Revolution program. They are in denial about the impact of economic stimulus on the national accounts. They are in denial about the impact of economic stimulus on supporting jobs and, more than anything else, they are in denial about what the member for Higgins plans next.

See this speech in context