NSW Labor should be worried

The New South Wales State Labor Government is running scared of the Coalition's direct action plan to stop the waste in the BER 'School Hall' program, Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education said today.

"The NSW Labor Government is terrified that we will stop state government skimming by redirecting funds directly to schools and principals to manage," Mr Pyne said.

"They are terrified we will stop the price gouging and rorts plaguing the program, as it will highlight their incompetence and mismanagement," he said.

But most of all the NSW Labor Party is terrified of our plans to launch a full judicial inquiry into the school hall rip-off, because it will have the power to subpoena documents and summons witnesses.

If elected a Coalition Government will stop the waste in the BER 'School Hall' program, we will stop the cover-ups and uncover the truth of how much has been wasted, and who is responsible.

We will also trust principals to manage the funds - the same people we trust with our children's education. Schools that save money will be able to keep the savings.

The Black Hill Primary School in NSW self-managed their project and it cost them two thirds of what the NSW Labor Government has managed to deliver.

Under the Coalition, the Black Hill Primary School will hang onto that one third saving, rather than it going to bolster the NSW Government's budget bottom-line.

"No doubt about it, if you want to stop the waste and get value for money in the BER 'School Hall program, you've got to change the Government," Mr Pyne said.

July 9, 2010

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