Tuesday, 30 May 2023

Schools payroll tax

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:07): My question is to the Minister for Education. Will the minister guarantee that donations and school fundraisers will not be included in the criteria to tax a school?

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:07): Isn’t it interesting that those opposite want to get up and only talk about education when it is the most wealthy schools in this state? Yet their policies are about putting HECS on kinders and schools –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this was an important question and an important clarification in relation to the new hit-list tax, and I would ask you to bring the minister back to this important question. I will not repeat the question, but it was an important question, and I would ask you to bring the minister back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Minister, I ask you to come back to the question that was asked.

Natalie HUTCHINS: The changes before the house are totally related to payroll tax. That does not go to the additional fees that are charged on buildings and so forth that the opposition are alluding to.

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:08): What criteria is the minister using to determine which schools are subject to the school tax?

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:08): There is legislation before this house. We will have regulations that come out of that legislation, and that is when we will put together the list that is going to be affected by this.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Malvern is warned.