Wednesday, 19 March 2025

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:04): We all know that cost-of-living pressures are playing havoc with family budgets right now. Perhaps it is an opportune occasion to reflect upon the school saving bonus.

This the government touted as a one-off $400. In the other chamber now for some weeks, if not months, the Minister for Education has, seat by seat, or electorate by electorate, gone through how much of that money has actually been expended. My question to the minister is: how much of that money has been expended in the electorate of Ringwood? And for that matter, how much of that money has been expended in each of the lower house seats in the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region? It is important because parents have, as we know, up until the end of June this year to claim that money before that money goes into the families school activities account. Those parents who need and are looking for cost-of-living relief can claim that money, but they ought to do so before the end of June this year.