❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding changes to the $4000 school fee for children of 457 visa holders, its impact on budget forecasts, and accuses the government of chaotic financial management. The Premier defends the policy, citing fairness and alignment with other states.
AnsweredQoN 510Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
457 VISA HOLDERS — PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARGE
510. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's media release issued at 6.30
this morning, in which he has decreed changes to the $4 000 school fee for
children of 457 visa holders.
(1) With the
policy originally forecast to generate $120 million over four years, what will
this policy now generate over that same period?
(2) What impact will these changes
identified today have on the government's fiscal action plan?
(3) Is this not
the problem with the government's chaotic financial management of
booking revenue and working out the criteria later?
510. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's media release issued at 6.30
this morning, in which he has decreed changes to the $4 000 school fee for
children of 457 visa holders.
(1) With the
policy originally forecast to generate $120 million over four years, what will
this policy now generate over that same period?
(2) What impact will these changes
identified today have on the government's fiscal action plan?
(3) Is this not
the problem with the government's chaotic financial management of
booking revenue and working out the criteria later?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The
government announced in the budget that it would introduce a fee structure for
children of temporary workers here under 457 visas, as is done in most parts of
the world. The average cost of educating a child is about $13 000. More
recently, I was advised that Western Australia has about 7 000 children of 457
workers. How many are in the government school system has not been exactly
determined yet, but it is probably about 4 000. A number of those children go
to private schools, independent schools and Catholic schools. Also, the records
do not accurately show when the children of 457 visa holders are enrolled, and
some of those—probably quite a significant number—have gained
permanent residency in the interim.
Ms R. Saffioti :
Was that list you read the other day not accurate?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the member for West Swan wants to ask a question, please do.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for West Swan to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The best estimate is that there are around 4 000 students who are the children
of 457 visa holders in the public school system. We did not announce the
criteria as part of the budget, but we have looked at the issue carefully. I
believe that the principle—I think the government is of the one mind—is
right: people working here who send their children to government schools should
contribute towards the cost of their education. The fees have been set at $1 000
a term, or $4 000 a year for a first child. That is about one-third of the cost
of actually educating that child. Also bear in mind that English is a second
language for many of these children, so they actually receive more education,
including special English programs that are delivered to them, as we should do.
These kids get a lot of support in this country.
Dr A.D. Buti : They
won't anymore.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
I, as the Premier, and the government are very proud that we provide support to
children of 457 visa workers, not all of whom have highly paid jobs. A large
number of them are from the Philippines, for example. We provide a quality
education and quality support programs.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We are saying that they or their employers—it will probably be their
employers in most cases—should contribute something towards the
children's education, as happens in New South Wales, the Australian
Capital Territory and, I suggest, other places.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : I call
the member for Girrawheen to order for a third time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
recognise that the commonwealth government introduced 457 visas, which I
strongly support because they are very important for filling skill shortages in
this state. From day one, the commonwealth government denied 457 visa holders
access to the public health system and required that they have private health
insurance. The commonwealth placed criteria on them from the moment 457 visas
were introduced. We are doing a similar thing and asking for a partial, maybe
one-third, contribution towards their children's education.
We have delayed the introduction of this for all people—those
here and those coming—to the beginning of the 2015 school year. That
gives people time to prepare, save and work out arrangements with their
employers. For second and third children, we have set the fee at $500 a term or
$2 000 a year. I think that is more than fair and reasonable.
With respect to the impact on the budget, for a variety of
reasons, such as the decision to delay the introduction to 2015, the fact that
there are probably fewer 457 visa holders than was originally anticipated who
are still 457 visa holders rather than permanent residents, and the fact that
the number of 457 visa holders is showing a trend of diminishing as some of the
peak construction comes off —
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
My best guess—the member could probably ask the Treasurer and he would
give him a better figure—is that we will collect around half of what
was originally anticipated. But the point is that we have got the policy right.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Listen to the childish laughter from members opposite! We have actually got the
policy right. Policy development is something that members opposite are not
good at! That is why—for the benefit of new members—the Labor
Party had five ministers sacked through Corruption and Crime Commission
inquiries. It is because they did not deal with policy and they did not deal
with propriety. They are an inept opposition. They are the ''Mr
Twenty-nine Percenter''.
government announced in the budget that it would introduce a fee structure for
children of temporary workers here under 457 visas, as is done in most parts of
the world. The average cost of educating a child is about $13 000. More
recently, I was advised that Western Australia has about 7 000 children of 457
workers. How many are in the government school system has not been exactly
determined yet, but it is probably about 4 000. A number of those children go
to private schools, independent schools and Catholic schools. Also, the records
do not accurately show when the children of 457 visa holders are enrolled, and
some of those—probably quite a significant number—have gained
permanent residency in the interim.
Ms R. Saffioti :
Was that list you read the other day not accurate?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the member for West Swan wants to ask a question, please do.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for West Swan to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The best estimate is that there are around 4 000 students who are the children
of 457 visa holders in the public school system. We did not announce the
criteria as part of the budget, but we have looked at the issue carefully. I
believe that the principle—I think the government is of the one mind—is
right: people working here who send their children to government schools should
contribute towards the cost of their education. The fees have been set at $1 000
a term, or $4 000 a year for a first child. That is about one-third of the cost
of actually educating that child. Also bear in mind that English is a second
language for many of these children, so they actually receive more education,
including special English programs that are delivered to them, as we should do.
These kids get a lot of support in this country.
Dr A.D. Buti : They
won't anymore.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
I, as the Premier, and the government are very proud that we provide support to
children of 457 visa workers, not all of whom have highly paid jobs. A large
number of them are from the Philippines, for example. We provide a quality
education and quality support programs.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We are saying that they or their employers—it will probably be their
employers in most cases—should contribute something towards the
children's education, as happens in New South Wales, the Australian
Capital Territory and, I suggest, other places.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : I call
the member for Girrawheen to order for a third time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
recognise that the commonwealth government introduced 457 visas, which I
strongly support because they are very important for filling skill shortages in
this state. From day one, the commonwealth government denied 457 visa holders
access to the public health system and required that they have private health
insurance. The commonwealth placed criteria on them from the moment 457 visas
were introduced. We are doing a similar thing and asking for a partial, maybe
one-third, contribution towards their children's education.
We have delayed the introduction of this for all people—those
here and those coming—to the beginning of the 2015 school year. That
gives people time to prepare, save and work out arrangements with their
employers. For second and third children, we have set the fee at $500 a term or
$2 000 a year. I think that is more than fair and reasonable.
With respect to the impact on the budget, for a variety of
reasons, such as the decision to delay the introduction to 2015, the fact that
there are probably fewer 457 visa holders than was originally anticipated who
are still 457 visa holders rather than permanent residents, and the fact that
the number of 457 visa holders is showing a trend of diminishing as some of the
peak construction comes off —
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
My best guess—the member could probably ask the Treasurer and he would
give him a better figure—is that we will collect around half of what
was originally anticipated. But the point is that we have got the policy right.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Listen to the childish laughter from members opposite! We have actually got the
policy right. Policy development is something that members opposite are not
good at! That is why—for the benefit of new members—the Labor
Party had five ministers sacked through Corruption and Crime Commission
inquiries. It is because they did not deal with policy and they did not deal
with propriety. They are an inept opposition. They are the ''Mr
Twenty-nine Percenter''.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.