Rudd flunks Oberon maths

Hamish Heard
Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd failed maths at Oberon High School when announcing a new policy this week, federal Member for Corangamite Stewart McArthur said yesterday.
Mr McArthur claimed a gaping $1.5 billion black hole in the funding allocation for Mr Rudd’s trades training in schools policy had exposed Labor’s inability to manage the books.
Mr Rudd swept through Geelong during a whirlwind visit to spruik Mr McArthur’s opponent in Corangamite, Darren Cheeseman, and to announce the $2.5 billion policy.
Mr Rudd said he would spend $1.5 million on trades training centres at “each” of Australia’s 2650 secondary schools if elected.
But Mr McArthur called on Mr Rudd to apologise to staff and students at Oberon for “misleading them” with bungled figures.
“Even year seven maths shows Labor’s sums do not add up,” Mr McArthur said
“The cost of providing $1.5 million to each of the 2650 schools Kevin Rudd says would be elligible for funding makes a total cost of $4 billion over 10 years, leaving a $1.5 billion hole in Labor’s costings.”
A spokesperson for Mr Rudd said Labor’s promise was to spend “up to $1.5 million” on each training centre.
The spokesperson said Mr McArthur’s allegation that Mr Rudd had botched his maths was “just another example of the Howard Government’s political desperation”.