Labor’s ‘computers in schools’ fraud
7th August, 2008
No school in Wide Bay will receive a single computer under the first round of funding under the Federal Government’s National Secondary School Computer Fund.Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss, said Kevin Rudd’s election promise to provide every year 9 to year 12 student with a computer has descended into a farce.
“During the election campaign Mr Rudd promised that his Government would give every year 9 to year 12 student a computer of their own, but Mr Rudd has now broken his ‘computers in schools’ promise three times,” Mr Truss said.
“Firstly, when Mr Rudd realised he’d miscalculated the cost of his ‘computers in school’ commitment, he went back on his promise by saying that students would only be given access to a computer.
“Then, when Mr Rudd still couldn’t get his sums right, he said that there would only be one computer to be shared between two students.
“Now, after failing to resolve who is going to pay to install and maintain additional computers, it has been revealed that State schools are being directed to use their funding to replace existing computers or for utilising existing network capacity.”
Mr Truss said the Labor Government’s posturing on the ‘computers in school’ program have exposed Mr Rudd’s election commitment as a fraud.
No school in the Wide Bay electorate has been successful in obtaining funding under the first round of the program.
“Parents, teachers and students who trusted Labor at the last election to provide a computer for every year 9 to year 12 student should feel extremely disappointed at this betrayal by Mr Rudd and his Labor Government.
“Mr Rudd’s election promise of an ‘education revolution’ has again been revealed as a hollow slogan, with no substance.”
