Your taxes, JobKeeper helping to pay for wealthy private schools

Some of Victoria’s most wealthy private schools have received millions in taxpayer dollars as well as millions of dollars in JobKeeper payments.

One of the state’s wealthiest schools, Haileybury College, received $30m from taxpayers.

The wealth of Victoria’s elite private schools have been revealed.

New data on the My School website shows parents and taxpayers are keeping some schools afloat to the tune of more than $100m a year.

Several schools received nearly $20m in taxpayer dollars in 2019, before claiming millions more in JobKeeper payments.

One of the state’s wealthiest schools is Haileybury College, which received $124m in 2019, including $30m from taxpayers. The school, which has 4000 students, has $45m in capital.

Wesley College, which had a total net recurrent income of $114m for its 3145 students in 2019, received $14m from government in addition to the $97m it raised from fees, charges and parent contributions.

Carey Baptist Grammar in Kew scored $10m in funding.

St Kevin's College in Toorak received $12m in funding.

The school — in the spotlight after allegations of abuse and harassment by students were reported to police — also has $16m in accumulated capital.

Another top earner is Caulfield Grammar, which has an annual net income of $105m and capital reserves of $105m. It was given $18m in taxpayer money in 2019.

Other schools receiving generous federal and state funding include Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, which got $19m, St Kevin’s College, which got $12m, Carey Grammar, which got $10m, MLC and Xavier which each got $8 million, Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar, which each got $7m, and Trinity Grammar, which got $6m.

The Herald Sun last year reported that at least a quarter of the state’s 219 independent schools received JobKeeper.

Originally published as Your taxes, JobKeeper helping to pay for wealthy private schools