Media Release

MICHAEL LEE’S GOT IT WRONG AGAIN – BACK TO SCHOOL MICHAEL!

K8009 2 September 1999

Michael Lee has demonstrated his complete incompetence in handling his portfolio.

"Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I will admit I was wrong on that…."

Hansard Chamber Green 2.9.99

After admitting during question time that he had made an error in falsely claiming that the coalition had not allocated funding for the Quality Teacher Programme, he later compounded this error by making another one.

After having this error pointed out and referred to the appropriate documentation, he then changed his mind again and went back to his original claim that I had misled the house concerning funding for the Quality Teacher Programme.

Michael Lee is obviously confused and out of his depth.

In my answer in question time today I stated that the funding for the Quality Teacher Programme was in Appropriation Bill No.1.

What Michael Lee evidently does not realise, is that a facsimile of Appropriation Bill No.1.appears on page 83 of Budget Paper No.4. This is clear, however, because the footnote refers the reader to Page 57 of Appropriation Bill No.1.

What Michael Lee, as a former Minister, should then have known to do was to consult Budget Portfolio Statements – Budget related paper No. 1.5. This outlines specific programs by agency. The Quality Teacher Programme is described on page 29, under the paragraph, "Quality Teacher Outcomes":

Funding of $77.7 million will be provided from 1999-2000 to 2002-03. Consultations about the initiative will take place from June to December 1999 and programme activities will be initiated in February 2000.

Surely after more than 10 years of working in federal politics Michael Lee has been able to get a grasp on how to read Budget papers?

Not only that, but I quote Michael Lee’s second reading speech on the debate of Appropriation Bill No1. on 1 June 1999 where he said:

"We welcome the funding for professional development for teachers …."

Send the shadow Education Minister to the back of the classroom where he belongs.

Media Contact: Samantha Herron 0412 639 754 or 02 62777 460

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