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Media Release Jenny Macklin MP

INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS… AS LONG AS THEY’RE IN COALITION ELECTORATES

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science & Research Federal Member for Jagajaga

The Howard Government has rorted its’ Investing in Our Schools Program, channelling twice as much money into Coalition seats as Labor seats.

$69 million out of a total $105 million in Round 1 of Investing in our Schools Program was poured into Coalition seats (see attached table).

19 of the 20 electorates receiving the highest funding are held by the Coalition.

The Howard Government just can’t help turning everything into an outrageous pork-barrelling exercise.

Coalition MPs and ‘Duty Senators’ (Coalition Senators assigned to Labor electorates) were notified of successful schools days before Labor MPs. The Howard Government also directed public servants to supply draft media releases to Coalition MPs and Senators.

The figures clearly show that politics was the motivation behind Investing in Our Schools:

• Average funds per Nationals electorate: $1,346,684 (245% of funding to Labor electorates) • Average funds per Liberal electorate: $703,262 (128% of funding to Labor electorates) • Average funds per Coalition electorate: $792,010 (144% of funding to Labor electorates) • Average funds per Labor electorate: $549, 303

• Average grants per Coalition marginal electorate were $831,444 • 19 of the top 20 electorates, in terms of total funding to an electorate, are Coalition-held. The first Labor-held electorate appears at 20 - Bendigo. • 9 of the top 10 electorates, in terms of average grant per school in an electorate are Coalition-held.

Reid is the only Labor-held top 10 electorate.

The former Minister for Education Brendan Nelson also made sure his own wealthy electorate was looked after, with his seat of Bradfield receiving $680,721, the third highest average grant per school in New South Wales ($56,727).

(See attached: Investing in Our Schools national data) More info: Nick Talbot 02 6277 4277 / 0408 473 278 27 February 2006

TOTAL FUNDING $104,725,032

TOTAL FOR ALP ELEC $33,507,500 32%

TOTAL FOR COALITION ELEC $68,904,862 66%

TOTAL FOR LIB ELEC $52,744,658

TOTAL FOR NAT ELEC $16,160,204

AVERAGE PER ELECTORATE $693,543

AVERAGE PER ALP ELEC $549,303

AVERAGE PER COALITION ELEC $792,010 144% of ALP

AVERAGE PER LIB ELEC $703,262 128% of ALP

AVERAGE PER NAT ELEC $1,346,684 245% of ALP

AVERAGE PER COALITION MARGINAL $831,444

Source: Answer to Question on Notice No,8206, 8 December 2005, Hansard p.192

TOP 20 ELECTORATES BY TOTAL AMOUNT PER ELECTORATE

ELECTORATE MARGINAL STATE PARTY NUMBER

OF APPLICS RECEIVED

NUMBER OF APPROVED APPLICATIONS

REJECTION RATE TOTAL GRANT AMOUNT $

MALLEE VIC NP 83 82 1% $2,051,479

MCMILLAN Y VIC LP 79 79 0% $1,998,067

GIPPSLAND Y VIC NP 89 88 1% $1,981,025

GREY SA LP 82 82 0% $1,948,363

MCEWEN Y VIC LP 74 71 4% $1,904,689

BARKER SA LP 74 74 0% $1,595,872

WANNON VIC LP 64 64 0% $1,581,722

FARRER NSW LP 77 77 0% $1,524,919

GWYDIR NSW NP 64 64 0% $1,474,861

WIDE BAY QLD NP 53 53 0% $1,470,519

RIVERINA NSW NP 57 53 7% $1,448,856

INDI VIC LP 58 58 0% $1,427,584

MARANOA QLD NP 54 54 0% $1,300,667

PAGE Y NSW NP 58 58 0% $1,292,102

MURRAY VIC LP 57 57 0% $1,263,620

COWPER NSW NP 50 50 0% $1,263,048

KALGOORLIE Y WA LP 49 48 2% $1,251,565

CORANGAMITE Y VIC LP 48 48 0% $1,250,221

O’CONNOR WA LP 64 64 0% $1,186,137

BENDIGO Y VIC ALP 47 46 2% $1,177,663

More info: Nick Talbot 02 6277 4277 / 0408 473 278 27 February 2006