Parents will be entitled to claim generous fee subsidies for sending their children to private and independent schools as part of the Coalition's expanded education rebate policy.
Even music lessons will be eligible for a rebate under the program.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he supported choice in education, and the $760 million boost to the tax rebate for school fees and other education expenses would help parents.

Flanked by his education spokesman, Christopher Pyne, Mr Abbott - who was later mobbed by 100 school children in outer Brisbane - said it was important to reduce the pressures of the cost of living, including fees for schooling.

"A very, very large percentage of parents at government schools these days face what are called voluntary fees," he said.

Under the coalition's policy, the current 50 per cent rebate will be lifted to $500 dollars a year for each primary school student and $1000 for each high school student - and extended to private schooling.

The rebate is currently $390 for primary school students and $779 for secondary students.

Mr Abbott said the rebate would cover more than laptops and could be used for school fees and other costs such as tuition and costs incurred for children with special needs.

Mr Pyne said the government's plan to extend the rebate by including the cost of school uniforms was flawed, and would not apply for another two years.

"The obvious flaw in Labor's policy is it only applies to stationery, computer expenses and uniforms," he told reporters.

The coalition's policy would provide money for a whole range of expenses including extra tuition, school fees and extra-curricular activities, including music.

"Our policy would really reduce cost-of-living pressures on families," the father-of-four said.

"Whereas Labor's is simply more smoke and mirrors and doesn't apply for two years."

After the announcement, Mr Abbott was mobbed by nearly 100 children during at the Lutheran school at Victoria Point in the electorate of Bowman as he took to the oval for an unspecified game of football.

As he walked out, he was set upon by a swarm of school children.

"I touched him," screamed one of the exultant students.

"I don't even know who he is," screamed another.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/abbott-pledges-schoolfee-rebates-20100721-10k6a.html


More "Wealthfare"
"Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he supported choice in education"
Only if you can afford the school in the 1st place, if not suffer at the local public which of course can't get enough funding due to our tax dollars helping people who can afford private schools keep even more cash in their pockets.
Remember NO NEW TAXES & also scrapping the mining tax so what are you cutting to afford this Tony??????

"I don't even know who he is," screamed another.
PMSL

Verge wrote on Jul 21^st, 2010 at 12:26pm:


Congrats and commiserations, Verge - how far away is the ETA?

Equitist wrote on Jul 21^st, 2010 at 12:31pm:

End of November, and I can tell you the costs of education is scary as you are well aware, school fees, books, excursions, sport and any possible extra cirricular activities, its gonna keep me in the poor house for many a years I think.

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jul 21^st, 2010 at 12:40pm:


Agreed, ditto!

My principals are that I do not want or encourage a government to 'help' me pay for schooling for my kids .
This is MY job.

However. I do expect a government to supply good education system and classrooms and services.

So how do you all think the public system would cope with the extra students if private school subsidies were dropped? Would it mean a better education for all? Would it save or cost money?

You need to be very careful about how you handle this, because it seems like a good deal to me (for the government) if many parents pay for school instead of taking the free government option. It is not a typical subsidisation problem because it is not a free market, but a free handout that the private schools are competing against.

public vs private education

http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1172911103

It depends. Using the 50% more figure, if less than 2/3 of students switched to public, then the government would save money by dropping subsidies. Of course, this only considers money spent, not what you get in return.

longweekend58 wrote on Jul 21^st, 2010 at 6:00pm:


Can you tell me where you get this figure of 2/3 of students in private schools?

I would have thought it the other way.

ie. 2/3 in government schools.