Catholic Schools NSW launches Keep School Funding Fair campaign as voters reject Greens’ tax on Catholic schools

The Greens' loss in the Victorian seat of Prahran is a significant electoral outcome that reflects broader concerns over school funding and the impact of tax on educational choices. The result underscores a community preference for policies that support family choice in education without imposing additional financial burdens.

The victory for the Coalition over the Greens comes as Catholic Schools NSW launches its Keep School Funding Fair campaign, which aims to provide voters with better information about school funding.

Dallas McInerney, CEO of Catholic Schools NSW, says it’s clear that the Greens’ attempt to strip non-government schools of funding for ideological reasons is unpopular with voters.

“The Greens in Victoria backed a payroll tax on Catholic schools and lost the Prahran byelection to the Coalition, which opposes the tax,” Mr McInerney said.

“Given the choice between the Greens and their own families, it’s clear who voters will choose.”

The Victorian Catholic Education Authority campaigned publicly against the tax, labelling it as unprecedented and unfair, and responsible for driving up fees in some Catholic schools. 

The Keep School Funding Fair education campaign is a response to attempts to undermine the non-government school sector. The campaign is informed by research showing that a lack of understanding of our complex school funding system leaves it vulnerable to ideological attack.

According to a poll of 2000 Australians, while almost half of Australians think they understand the school funding system, after having it explained, 6 in 10 agree they do not. The low level of understanding in the community about school funding leaves parents and voters vulnerable to misinformation campaigns.

The research, conducted by Freshwater Strategy, has informed a new education campaign by Catholic Schools NSW, which aims to explain the complex funding system in simple terms.

A short advertisement has launched on television this week and a campaign website provides further information on the way the school funding system works.

An explainer video on the education campaign’s website lays out how the funding system sends the maximum funds per child to government schools and applies means-testing to funding for non-government schools, meaning non-government schools get less funding per student. Non-government schools with parents of higher income receive less funding, and those with parents of lower income receive more.

After having the school funding system explained, a majority of voters (63%) said that the government should continue to provide funding for each enrolled student so parents are supported in deciding which school is best for their child. 

Eight in ten voters agree that parents need choices when it comes to schools so they can choose an education that aligns with their child’s needs and their own values. 

Dallas McInerney, CEO of Catholic Schools NSW, says that it’s vital Australians understand the means-tested school funding system that underpins that vital choice. 

“According to the OECD, Australia’s school system is one of the most equitable by global standards,” Mr McInerney said. 

“The truth is that non-government schools play a key role in making our school system equitable. The local Catholic schools we represent have the best outcomes for disadvantaged students, including a 9% higher attendance rate for Indigenous students, which translates into higher NAPLAN scores for this cohort in years 5 and 9. 

These are critical foundations, as 84% of Indigenous students who complete Year 12 go on to further education and training. Non-government schools provide environments in which students thrive.

We firmly believe families are best placed to make decisions which recognise the unique needs of each individual child.”

The Keep School Funding Fair explainer video and website can be viewed at keepfundingfair.org.au