Julia Gillard has defended her department spending almost $1 million on three "happiness" conferences for public servants and teachers last month.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations treated 100 of its officials to a week-long seminar on wellbeing, held at Geelong Grammar School, in Victoria, at a cost of $642,000.

In addition, the department gave Geelong Grammar $350,000 to stage two six-day residential conferences on happiness and positive psychology for 200 teachers from government, independent and Catholic schools.

Geelong Grammar is one of the most expensive private schools in the nation, and this year increased its Year 12 fees by 8 per cent to $28,886.

The Opposition has ridiculed the seminars, saying they were a waste of money that couldn't possibly improve wellbeing and productivity as intended.

But Ms Gillard hit back today, saying the Opposition didn't care about the welfare of children.

The workshops for teachers would help them assist students battling illnesses such as anorexia and depression, she said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25110315-2702,00.html