House censures Bill Shorten for ripping out $1.2 billion from education

The House of Representatives today has censured the Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten for taking $1.2 billion from schools in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory and for failing to deliver a national, fair and needs based funding model. Bill Shorten ripped out $1.2 billion from school funding on the eve of the election. The Coalition Government has today moved to put back that funding to ensure students in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory don’t miss out. The Coalition Government achieved what Bill Shorten couldn’t – a national agreement with all states and territories. The House passed the motion: “That this House condemns the Leader of the Opposition for cutting funding to schools in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory by $1.2 billion in the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook; and for failing to achieve a national, fair and needs based school funding model when Minister for Education.” The shambles of a school funding system left by Bill Shorten when he was Minister for Education is the albatross around the Leader of the Opposition’s neck. His actions are a clear breach of trust with the Australian people. Kevin Rudd couldn’t trust Bill Shorten. Julia Gillard couldn’t trust Bill Shorten. His actions to rip $1.2 billion from education proves yet again that the Australian people just can’t trust anything that Bill Shorten says. 2 December 2013