Kangaroobie camp operator Matt Bowker speaks out about school camp cancellations in wake of new rule

A Princetown camp operator has explained the financial hit camps are experiencing after a new rule was introduced in Victorian public schools.

A coastal camp owner says his business has suffered a financial hit after a new law was put in place for Victorian teachers.

The new law, introduced as part of the 2022 enterprise agreement, means public education teachers must be paid overtime or given time off in lieu for work outside of their regular 38-hour work week.

This includes for time spent at school camps, making it difficult for schools to send staff and students on the trips.

Princetown’s Kangaroobie Camp operator Matt Bowker said many public schools had cut their budgets and cancelled camps, social activities and school concerts as a result.

Mr Bowker said he was getting around 60 schools a year to his property for camps - about 6,500 students in total — from all over the state.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, Mr Bowker was also hosting schools from Singapore, Japan and the United States.

But this has all changed.

“Schools are trying to work their way through it this year — the issue is there’s been no extra funding from the government to cover that — and schools are not allowed to charge parents extra for the camp to cover the time in lieu,” Mr Bowker said.

Some schools are choosing to cut camps completely, while others are cutting whole days off trips.

“Schools are just finding they can’t afford it so the easiest thing for them to do is just to cut,” Mr Bowker said.

“The bookings are all there — but what the real fear is that once we get to the end of the year and schools realise what it’s cost them and how much they have to pay out their teachers — that they will say next year they just can’t afford it.”

Mr Bowker said it was a “looming” issue.

“Already it’s kind of the cost of the adjustments that have already been made to school camp programs which is sitting at around a $100,000 impact for us,” he said.

“A school I was talking to which was on the other side of Melbourne just last week said they’ve had close to $270,000 worth of cancellations and adjustments for this year and next year,” he said.

Mr Bowker said camps were important for students to “push boundaries”.

“It’s all about giving them experiences they’re not getting in their everyday schedule — it’s presenting them with challenges and challenging situations where they can push beyond the boundaries that they thought they had previously.

“They’re self-reliant so they have to make decisions for themselves — mum and dad aren’t there to make every decision for them — so they build up teamwork and learn to juggle issues and building up their self confidence.”

A Department of Education spokesperson said the department had provided “clear guidance” to schools on the implementation of the new time-in-lieu arrangements with the “strong expectation” schools should not cancel camps or “extracurricular activities”.

“Schools are provided with an annual funding budget for staff salaries and casual relief teachers, and the Department works with schools in instances where additional funding may be required for extra casual relief teachers,” the spokesperson said.

They said schools were being supported to develop strategies that provide teachers with time in lieu within existing budget parameters to ensure it would be as “cost-neutral” as possible.

“The annual funding to each school includes provision for casual relief teacher coverage. The Department works with individual schools where any additional support may be required.

“The Victorian Government’s $148.3 million Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund makes extra-curricular activities accessible to all students, no matter their situation.”