❓ The WA Education Minister contrasts the Carpenter government's increased education spending with the Howard government's cuts to the university sector and criticizes federal investment in school infrastructure.
AnsweredQoN 64Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION - TREATMENT BY CARPENTER AND HOWARD GOVERNMENTS
Can the minister explain the difference in the treatment of education between the Carpenter government and the Howard government? Mr M. McGOWAN
Can the minister explain the difference in the treatment of education between the Carpenter government and the Howard government? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
Indeed I can. I thank the member for Bassendean for his question and his obvious interest in educational issues in Western Australia. There is a stark difference between the treatment of education by the Gallop and Carpenter governments and that of the Howard government. Over its six years in office, the government has increased expenditure on education by 28 per cent in real terms. In the Howard government’s 10 and a half years in office, it has reduced spending in its principal area of education responsibility, the university sector, by seven per cent in real terms. It is the only government in the western world to have reduced spending on the university sector. The way the Howard government is treating university students, with the exorbitant higher education contribution scheme charges, is nothing short of disgraceful. Furthermore, over this term of office, the state government will invest $1 billion in capital works in schools around the state - 39 new schools will be built - which is double the capital works budget of the Court government in its last year in office. At the same time, the commonwealth government is investing $1 billion on capital works in schools across the country over the four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: Indeed I can. I thank the member for Bassendean for his question and his obvious interest in educational issues in Western Australia. There is a stark difference between the treatment of education by the Gallop and Carpenter governments and that of the Howard government. Over its six years in office, the government has increased expenditure on education by 28 per cent in real terms. In the Howard government’s 10 and a half years in office, it has reduced spending in its principal area of education responsibility, the university sector, by seven per cent in real terms. It is the only government in the western world to have reduced spending on the university sector. The way the Howard government is treating university students, with the exorbitant higher education contribution scheme charges, is nothing short of disgraceful. Furthermore, over this term of office, the state government will invest $1 billion in capital works in schools around the state - 39 new schools will be built - which is double the capital works budget of the Court government in its last year in office. At the same time, the commonwealth government is investing $1 billion on capital works in schools across the country over the four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Indeed I can. I thank the member for Bassendean for his question and his obvious interest in educational issues in Western Australia. There is a stark difference between the treatment of education by the Gallop and Carpenter governments and that of the Howard government. Over its six years in office, the government has increased expenditure on education by 28 per cent in real terms. In the Howard government’s 10 and a half years in office, it has reduced spending in its principal area of education responsibility, the university sector, by seven per cent in real terms. It is the only government in the western world to have reduced spending on the university sector. The way the Howard government is treating university students, with the exorbitant higher education contribution scheme charges, is nothing short of disgraceful. Furthermore, over this term of office, the state government will invest $1 billion in capital works in schools around the state - 39 new schools will be built - which is double the capital works budget of the Court government in its last year in office. At the same time, the commonwealth government is investing $1 billion on capital works in schools across the country over the four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: Indeed I can. I thank the member for Bassendean for his question and his obvious interest in educational issues in Western Australia. There is a stark difference between the treatment of education by the Gallop and Carpenter governments and that of the Howard government. Over its six years in office, the government has increased expenditure on education by 28 per cent in real terms. In the Howard government’s 10 and a half years in office, it has reduced spending in its principal area of education responsibility, the university sector, by seven per cent in real terms. It is the only government in the western world to have reduced spending on the university sector. The way the Howard government is treating university students, with the exorbitant higher education contribution scheme charges, is nothing short of disgraceful. Furthermore, over this term of office, the state government will invest $1 billion in capital works in schools around the state - 39 new schools will be built - which is double the capital works budget of the Court government in its last year in office. At the same time, the commonwealth government is investing $1 billion on capital works in schools across the country over the four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Indeed I can. I thank the member for Bassendean for his question and his obvious interest in educational issues in Western Australia. There is a stark difference between the treatment of education by the Gallop and Carpenter governments and that of the Howard government. Over its six years in office, the government has increased expenditure on education by 28 per cent in real terms. In the Howard government’s 10 and a half years in office, it has reduced spending in its principal area of education responsibility, the university sector, by seven per cent in real terms. It is the only government in the western world to have reduced spending on the university sector. The way the Howard government is treating university students, with the exorbitant higher education contribution scheme charges, is nothing short of disgraceful. Furthermore, over this term of office, the state government will invest $1 billion in capital works in schools around the state - 39 new schools will be built - which is double the capital works budget of the Court government in its last year in office. At the same time, the commonwealth government is investing $1 billion on capital works in schools across the country over the four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
four-year period. If this is averaged out, it means that Western Australia will end up with less than $25 million per annum for capital works in schools from the commonwealth government. Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is interesting that the member says that, because Hon Julie Bishop, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, is constantly attacking the state government for its investment in education. It is a point that needs to be made - $1 billion from the state government for education capital works over four years, compared to less than $25 million from the federal government each year. Although she goes out attacking the state government on these issues, the fact is that we are investing far more in capital works in public schools than the commonwealth is, despite all its protestations. This government is investing in the future of education, while the commonwealth government is cutting expenditure and showing its divisiveness on this issue.
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