(JOINT RELEASE FROM SENATOR WILLIAMS AND SENATOR BRETT MASON)

The report of the Auditor-General into the Building the Education Revolution released today failed to tackle the most important question about the Rudd Government's $16.2 billion school halls cash splash, according to The Nationals Senator for New South Wales John Williams and the Liberal National Senator for Queensland Brett Mason.

Senator Williams said the Auditor-General looked at many administrative aspects of the program, and was critical in his conclusion about the conduct of the Federal Government, but did not address the value-for-money aspect.

Senator Mason said while the Auditor-General Ian McPhee found many problems with the administration of the program, he did not report on the alleged rorting and gouging of fees that have plagued the program since its very beginning and have been widely publicised in the media.

On the 25^th of June last year, Senators Williams and Mason successfully moved in the Senate a motion requesting that the Auditor-General undertake an investigation of waste and mismanagement of the BER, including the question of value for money being achieved by the expenditure of $16.2 billion, and whether construction costs incurred under the tender program are substantially higher than current construction industry rates.

"This request appears to have been ignored in the report today, and Australian taxpayers are no closer to getting the truth. The most common complaint I get from parents and school representatives is about the inflated prices of projects", Senator Williams said.

"This is a very disappointing outcome for the taxpayers who have to carry the cost of the project and who are increasingly convinced their hard-earned money has been carelessly thrown around without much concern whether it is a 'good spend' or not", Senator Mason said.

The Senators will write to the Auditor-General to ask why these crucial matters have not been investigated and to invite him to re-open the inquiry.

ENDS