Tuesday, 14 May 2024

School saving bonus

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:11): My question is to the Minister for Education. Corpus Christi is a low-fee Catholic primary school in Werribee. While 50 per cent of students come from disadvantaged families, only 9 per cent of students will be eligible for the government’s $400 payment. How is it fair that these disadvantaged students will not benefit from the $400 school payment?

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for Medical Research) (14:11): The answer is a very clear and concise one: non-government schools are predominantly funded by the federal government. We are the state government and we fund state government schools. That is what we do. We fund state government schools. Can I also say, non-government schools are not closed off from applying for the school saving bonus, providing the family has a healthcare card or a disability support card, because we are a government that supports the most needy and most vulnerable kids. We are a government that will not leave anyone behind. We will stand up for all education and make sure every child that needs any support will get it.

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:12): During the budget lock-up the minister joked about another Labor minister who will be $2000 better off because his children attend government schools. Why are Labor ministers, who earn over $365,000, able to claim this payment when disadvantaged students at Corpus Christi in Werribee miss out?

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for Medical Research) (14:13): It is a bit like asking the shadow cabinet to fess up on all their investment properties and all the benefits they get over there. But let me say, on this side of the chamber we are making sure –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Sunbury can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Sunbury withdrew from chamber.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I would ask you to bring the Deputy Premier back to this important question.

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier will come back to the question.

Ben CARROLL: We know on this side of the chamber that it does take a village to raise a child. That is why, as the Premier said, there are the school saving bonus, our support for state school relief and making sure every child gets the education they deserve. We are very proud because we also know that our business managers and our school principals do a marvellous job.

Members interjecting.

Ben CARROLL: I am getting to it.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Narracan can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Narracan withdrew from chamber.

Peter Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, I would ask you to bring the Deputy Premier back to actually answering the question as to why Catholic students in Werribee are missing out.

The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant. The minister to come back to the question.

Ben CARROLL: I have got 27 seconds. As I said, we are making sure that the funding goes to where it needs to go. We know that our business managers and our principals want no application process. They want to get it done and out to those students that need it. To educate those opposite, we are in the state Parliament and we know that as the state government we fund state schools. And while I am on my feet, the Morrison government did not put one dollar into our state school system.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Malvern can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Malvern withdrew from chamber.