Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Schools payroll tax

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:17): My question is to the Minister for Education. Whitefriars College, Donvale Christian College, Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School, Oxley Christian College and Yarra Valley Grammar, all in the electorate of Warrandyte, will be subject to the government’s new schools tax. Will the minister guarantee that the government will not include these schools on their schools tax hit list?

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:18): Can I thank the member for her interest in the non-government school payroll exemption process. It would have been better to have had this question from the member for Warrandyte, who probably knows these schools more intimately. I am really pleased to say that this government will continue to work with the independent schools sector, the non-government schools sector, to implement the –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for South Barwon is warned.

Natalie HUTCHINS: legislation that just passed the Parliament last night. My department is working with the sector to map out the data provided to us by ACARA, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, to make sure that the formula is transparent when the formula is formed. I know those opposite want to run a scare campaign, but the reality is –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the minister was asked about a number of schools directly in the Warrandyte electorate and whether those schools would be hit by the government’s new school tax hit list. The minister has not at all referred to those schools or whether the tax will apply to those schools.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister is being relevant to the question that was asked.

Natalie HUTCHINS: The vast majority of non-government schools, around 85 per cent, will not be affected by this change. This change is very much focused in on making sure that there is an equality across the system – that some non-government schools in that highest fee paying category have to pay the required payroll tax that is currently paid by our government schools. The process will be worked through with the sector. We are talking with the sector. We will continue to talk with the sector to make sure that we get this formula right.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for South Barwon can leave the chamber for 1 hour.

Member for South Barwon withdrew from chamber.

Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:20): The result of Labor’s schools tax will be that many families will not be able to afford the inevitable fee increases. Has the minister received any advice on the ability of the two government secondary schools in Warrandyte to cope with the additional students?

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:21): I thank the member for the supplementary question. I remind the member that this government has invested more than $30 billion –

Daniel Andrews: How much?

Natalie HUTCHINS: $30 billion –

Daniel Andrews: Billion?

Natalie HUTCHINS: yes – since we have come to government into our school system in Victoria. That is exactly why we are the Education State. We are top of the class when it comes to our NAPLAN outcomes, we are delivering new schools, we are upgrading schools and we are working to back up the demand.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question related to schools in the Warrandyte electorate, and we know that 93 per cent of school funding goes into Labor electorates.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order.

Natalie HUTCHINS: Thank you, Speaker. I will not apologise for the great results we got at the last state election in the growing suburbs, and we will continue to deliver in the growing suburbs, in the city, in the regions and in rural areas. Where schools are experiencing growth, we will meet that demand, we will give that support and we will back our teachers and students in to thrive.