not the motorcycle diaries

“..the supreme irony of Labor’s mantra – where education is pressed into an almost soulless and narrow form of national economic service.”

(!)

“In the first address I spoke about the abiding national challenge of social mobility. It’s only natural then that my second speech be on education.”

(But we’re not about the economics of education. We believe in wholistic wonderness).

“The Australian Government is in the business of quality education ideas. The $5 billion Higher Education Endowment Fund, though it may seem like an iceberg, is really just the tip.”

(Unlike the man who did the Budget, who is all tip and no iceberg, thankyou Paul Keating).

“I believe English lessons should teach grammar. I believe history is History, not Society and the Environment or Time, Continuity and Change. I believe geography is Geography, not Place and Space.”

(But we’re not about the economics of it).

“We are in a global war for talent.”

(Lack of talent is the second biggest defence target of our age after terrorism).

“Education is vital to boosting workforce participation and productivity – those underlying drivers of future prosperity. We face unprecedented demands for skilled workers today.”

(But we’re not about the economics of it).

“This is a world of permanent change.”

(And in a world of permanent change, Father Knows Best. Vote me).

“A nation can’t know where it’s going if its children don’t know where it’s come from. The project that I launched at the start of last year – the restoration of Australian History in our schools – is one I’ll return to in coming months.”

(Better that I tell the kids where they come from, in case they get any funny ideas about Indigenous people and genocide).

“Education speaks to the great liberal ideal of hard work and self-sacrifice opening doors of personal freedom, social responsibility and civic duty.”

(Did I say liberal? I meant Protestant. You know, spirit of capitalism and all that. It’s in our culture to be naturally more prosperous. Not like those overbred Muslims).

“Now perhaps in speaking about this issue I’ll again be accused by my political opponent of being captive to old ideas. Perhaps a well-ordered classroom where teachers have authority is an old idea. But it’s a good idea, a forward-looking idea.”

(!)

“Contrary to the professional peddlers of misinformation in this area, non-government schools still receive much less public funding than government schools – roughly $6,000 per student compared with about $11,000 per student at government schools.”

(But we’re not about the economics of it).

*Full transcipt here.