Gillard pinches 2020 summit idea from Julie Bishop

One of the nine ideas from the 2020 summit that the Rudd Government has announced it will follow up on, was in fact a policy that former Education Minister Julie Bishop implemented in June 2007.

Addressing the "Schools Business Dialogue" at Parliament House on 6 June 2007, then Minister Bishop explained that "engaging business in schools through corporate partnerships and other programmes brings new resources to support school innovation and capability."

Media reports yesterday suggesting that the new "Business-School Connections" plan was "Ms Gillard's summit idea" are correct only in as much as Minister Gillard has come up with a new name for an old Liberal program, according to Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

We welcome the Government's interest in supporting more business involvement in schools - it is just a shame that it has taken Julia Gillard eighteen months in the job and an expensive 2020 summit process to support a plan that was already in place when she arrived,"" said Mr Pyne.

The Opposition is also enthusiastic about Ms Gillard's suggestion that the Business Council of Australia should manage the scheme.

Basically the Government is trying to take credit for a plan that will use other people's money, that was someone else's idea, and which will be organised by someone else.

"This is not a bad thing - if the Deputy Prime Minister and her office have nothing to do with the plan beyond taking the credit, it might just work."

Australia deserves better than a part-time Education Minister.