Ms GILLARD (Lalor—Prime Minister) (14:51): I do genuinely thank the member for Sturt for his question, which may well be— Mr Garrett: A second question on education. Ms GILLARD: the second question he has asked on education in this parliament—and doesn't that tell you everything about the attitude of the opposition. When they were in government they never did anything for Australia's children; never did one thing that has endured for the long term. When we came to government what we inherited was a system where no-one knew what was happening in Australian schools. No-one knew where the most disadvantaged schools were. No-one knew and no-one cared. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The Prime Minister has the call and has the right to be heard— Ms Julie Bishop interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition; I was in the middle of saying that the Prime Minister has the right to be heard in silence. Ms GILLARD: When we came to government there was not a list of the most disadvantaged schools in this country because no-one knew, no-one cared and no-one had bothered to ask. It is this government that has changed the information available on Australian schools because we wanted to know, we desperately cared and that is why we asked. We did not keep that information to ourselves. We put it out there on the My School website for the whole nation to judge. Then we commenced a process of investing in Australian schools, the likes of which have never been seen before in Australia's history: more investments for low-SES schools, for the schools that teach the poorest children; more investments into literacy and numeracy; more investments into teacher quality; the rollout of trades training centres, new school buildings— Mr Pyne: I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker, on relevance. I asked about the $4.7 billion of cuts in the next four years, which the Prime Minister needs to address. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call and will refer to the question before the chair. Ms GILLARD: and in equipment. And now of course, there is our plan to invest more in Australian schools than has ever been invested before; a new plan for school improvement which means, compared with the broken funding model of today, a $16.2 billion difference in the contribution of the federal government. Now, to that, does the shadow minister for education have an alternative plan? No. To that, has the shadow minister ever articulated an agenda for reform and improvement of Australian schools of any weight or meaning? Never. Instead, what he has done is wander around peddling false figures including in the parliament today. And why is he peddling false figures? He knows that this government is passionately committed to improving the education of every Australian child. Mr Pyne: I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker. I would ask the Prime Minister to withdraw the phrase 'peddling false figures', when I am quoting from the budget of the federal government of the $4.7 billion of cuts. The SPEAKER: Order! The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call. Ms GILLARD: The shadow minister is not quoting the budget—that is the point. Why is the shadow minister out with all of these falsehoods? Well, it is part of his campaign, and the Leader of the Opposition's campaign, to put the politics first. What they do when they are not sitting in this parliament is ring up their conservative mates and say, 'Whatever you do, do not sign onto the government's plan for school education. You have got a Liberal Party ticket in your pocket: put the kids last!' That is what the Leader of the Opposition has been doing, and the shadow minister has been doing, and they should be ashamed of that conduct. (Time expired) Mr Buchholz interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wright should read the standing orders.