How widespread is the BER cover-up?

The new Minister for Education, Simon Crean, must launch a full judicial inquiry into the school hall program, as evidence has emerged of an attempt to silence a school complaining about BER rip-offs, Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education said today.

Testimony to the NSW School Hall Inquiry has revealed a $400,000 payment, described as an 'inducement', was mysteriously deposited in the bank account of the Abbotsford Primary School.

"The Abbotsford Primary School P&C President has also told the Inquiry that a Labor Member of Parliament said the school would lose all the money if they did not take what was on offer," Mr Pyne said.

"This strongly suggests that both State and Federal Labor are prepared to do and say anything to suppress the truth about the billions being squandered," he said.

Former Education Minister, Julia Gillard, must declare whether she was aware and approved of the $400,000 paid to Abbotsford.

An inquiry into how many other schools have been threatened or bought off to keep school hall problems out of the press is needed, as the Orgill Taskforce cannot even guarantee the confidentiality of principals who raise complaints.

This program is a national disgrace, and Simon Crean, the new Education Minister, has thus far refused to suspend the spend and stop the waste, at least until Labor's own taskforce investigating this matter reports in August.

Mr Crean has two days left to suspend the spend before another $2.1 billion goes out the door tomorrow. If he doesn't, then he will be complicit, as is Ms Gillard, in the most scandalous waste and mismanagement of taxpayer's money in the history of Australia.

"A Coalition Government will immediately launch a full judicial inquiry to get to the bottom of this debacle," Mr Pyne said.

June 30, 2010

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