Tuesday, 30 May 2023

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:52): I, like many, was shocked by this state budget – not only the huge debt and the new taxes but specifically the attack on non-government charitable education. Payroll tax has been exempted in respect of non-government charitable schools since 1941. This government has breached that long-term understanding, that long-term arrangement, and has slapped a nasty tax on non-government schools. These charitable schools – those with fees over $7500 ‍– will be taxed by this government for the first time. They will pay more than $420 million over four years for the enormous tax that is being put on them. This is going to force up fees. It is going to force many schools to cut services and to cut teachers. This is a shocking approach by this government. Parents are struggling in many cases to send their kids to the school of their choice. This is also about families and their community schools, it is about religious schools and it is about education in particular community languages. All of these have been targeted by Daniel Andrews and his government.

Jaclyn Symes: They are not.

David DAVIS: They are targeted; they sure are. I tell you what: Oakleigh Grammar – all of those schools – are going to be slapped with this tax.

Jaclyn Symes: Community education.

David DAVIS: No, community schools – schools that are actually going to pay this tax.