Catholic schools plan voter intervention in federal election

CATHOLIC schools will repeat their political intervention from the Longman by-election at the next federal election, as the school funding dispute heats up.

CATHOLIC schools will repeat their political intervention from the Longman by-election at the next federal election, as the school funding dispute heats up.

They will once again write to parents highlighting differences in funding policy, with Labor currently promising $250 million more for the Catholic education sector nationally.

But Queensland Catholic Education Commission boss Dr Lee-Anne Perry said they were not seeking any funding “special deals”, just the same treatment as other non-government schools.

It follows Independent Schools Queensland last week accusing the Catholic sector of seeking special funding deals which would “rip out” cash from other schools.

“Queensland Catholic Education is not seeking any special deals, we’re seeking a fair, needs-based sector blind funding model. That’s our very strong position,” Dr Perry said.

“We’re wanting to make sure that in Queensland the model and any changes to the model appropriately reflect our regions, our rural schools, irrespective of sector.”

Queensland Catholic Education Commission boss Dr Lee-Anne Perry.

Dr Perry said she did not believe the Gonski 2.0 funding model was sector blind, as Catholic schools had to transition to it over six years, instead of over 10 years like independent school.

The recently released Chaney review recommended needs-based funding be determined on de-identified tax returns from parents of a school, rather than where the school is located.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham is considering its findings and has promised a response focused on fair and consistent funding.

Independent Schools Queensland Executive Director David Robertson last week said he would not support cash being ripped from their schools for “political appeasement”.

The day before the Longman by-election Brisbane’s Catholic Archdiocese emailed parents of children at three of its schools in the electorate, warning that the Government’s plans would leave Brisbane Catholic schools $40 million worse off.

Dr Perry confirmed QCEC would repeat the mailout at the federal election but said it was a longstanding practice.

“As with any group looking to access government funding we would always be making our parents aware of what all political parties are committing to fair school funding,” she said.

She said they would provide school funding information to parents so “they can take that into consideration when they vote”.