Northern Metropolitan Region
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (13:00): (202) As part of last week’s brutal state Labor budget the government announced that high-fee non-government schools will have their payroll tax exemption removed. The state government’s definition of ‘high fee’ is an arbitrary one that encompasses all schools charging over $7500 in annual fees. Two schools in my electorate which fall into this category are Aitken College in Greenvale and Hume Anglican Grammar in Mickleham. The Premier has sought to paint this as only affecting high-fee elite schools. Does the minister agree with the Premier’s characterisation that the parents sending their kids to schools like Aitken College and Hume Anglican Grammar deserve to pay more, especially when parents are quite often forced to choose between private schools and ones that are completely non-existent? Or will the minister commit to ensuring schools like Aitkin College and Hume grammar will not be targeted and use her discretionary powers to relieve working-class parents of yet another cost-of-living burden?
The PRESIDENT: That was to the Minister –
Evan MULHOLLAND: for Education.