❓ Ms. Quirk questions the Premier about school fees for children of 457 visa holders and hardship exemptions. The Premier defends the policy, citing fairness and revenue needs, while addressing hardship concerns and fee adjustments.
AnsweredQoN 833Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
457 VISA
HOLDERS — PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARGE
833. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
government's desperate budget measure to charge school fees for the
children of 457 visa holders and his subsequent concession that there would be
exemptions for hardship.
(1) Have those
hardships been finalised to enable schools to assess those enrolling their
children for next year's school year?
(2) Does the
Premier now concede that the funds raised are more like $40 million than $140 million?
HOLDERS — PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARGE
833. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
government's desperate budget measure to charge school fees for the
children of 457 visa holders and his subsequent concession that there would be
exemptions for hardship.
(1) Have those
hardships been finalised to enable schools to assess those enrolling their
children for next year's school year?
(2) Does the
Premier now concede that the funds raised are more like $40 million than $140 million?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) We
revisited that policy and we have reduced the fees so that fees for the
children of 457 workers will apply only to the first child, not to the second,
third, fourth or fifth child. I think that is fair and reasonable. It is of
interest that the majority of 457 children, if you like, in metropolitan Perth
live in the wealthiest parts of Perth—in my electorate, and the
electorates of the member for Nedlands and the member for South Perth. Indeed,
a significant number of the children of 457 workers go to private schools—again,
many of those are in my electorate.
Mr
P. Papalia : Have you got a list?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am answering the question.
That is the reality. Many well-paid
employees, particularly in the resources industry, come here on 457
arrangements—they are very welcome—and I think it is quite
reasonable that they make a modest contribution to education in a government
school. The issue arose last year, particularly in the Treasurer's
electorate, where a high proportion of children in a school were children of
457 workers. Indeed, I think the fee is $1 000 per term, which is a very small
proportion—probably less than one-third—of the cost of
educating a child. I think it is fair and reasonable.
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There will be some situations, particularly in agricultural
areas, in which the salary or pay is not high, and there may be some hardship.
We will deal with that in the criteria. I have not seen them; I do not know
whether they have been concluded. That will be available and I think most
people will accept it. I will give an example of a school in my electorate at
which there are, from memory, about 45 457 children, which is a significant
proportion of the school population. I asked the principal recently whether any
parents had complained about the imposition of a fee for 457 students, and his
answer was, ''It has never been raised with me.''
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale does not listen. When there are cases
of people on lower incomes, which there are, particularly in rural areas,
hardship may well apply. But I do not think it is onerous, and in many cases
the employer will pay that charge.
revisited that policy and we have reduced the fees so that fees for the
children of 457 workers will apply only to the first child, not to the second,
third, fourth or fifth child. I think that is fair and reasonable. It is of
interest that the majority of 457 children, if you like, in metropolitan Perth
live in the wealthiest parts of Perth—in my electorate, and the
electorates of the member for Nedlands and the member for South Perth. Indeed,
a significant number of the children of 457 workers go to private schools—again,
many of those are in my electorate.
Mr
P. Papalia : Have you got a list?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am answering the question.
That is the reality. Many well-paid
employees, particularly in the resources industry, come here on 457
arrangements—they are very welcome—and I think it is quite
reasonable that they make a modest contribution to education in a government
school. The issue arose last year, particularly in the Treasurer's
electorate, where a high proportion of children in a school were children of
457 workers. Indeed, I think the fee is $1 000 per term, which is a very small
proportion—probably less than one-third—of the cost of
educating a child. I think it is fair and reasonable.
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There will be some situations, particularly in agricultural
areas, in which the salary or pay is not high, and there may be some hardship.
We will deal with that in the criteria. I have not seen them; I do not know
whether they have been concluded. That will be available and I think most
people will accept it. I will give an example of a school in my electorate at
which there are, from memory, about 45 457 children, which is a significant
proportion of the school population. I asked the principal recently whether any
parents had complained about the imposition of a fee for 457 students, and his
answer was, ''It has never been raised with me.''
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Armadale does not listen. When there are cases
of people on lower incomes, which there are, particularly in rural areas,
hardship may well apply. But I do not think it is onerous, and in many cases
the employer will pay that charge.
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