Federal election 2016: Catholic body slams Greens school funding

The peak Catholic education body has savaged Greens policies on non-government schools, warning parents of a fee hike.

CSPA chairman Tony O’Byrne urged Catholic parents and grandparents to vote for parties that support their children’s education.

The peak Catholic education body has savaged Greens policies on non-government schools, warning that the parents of the faith’s 765,000 Australian students would face a sharp rise in fees and diminished campuses under the minor party’s agenda.

National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox yesterday warned the Greens’ agenda would be harmful to the non-government school sector and disadvantage Catholics.

His warning came after strident attacks in the past week by Victorian Catholic Education Commission chief Stephen Elder, who has appealed to parents to vote Liberal or Labor over the Greens.

Mr Fox said the funding formula for Catholic schools would have to be overhauled if the Greens were to get their way on education policy.

“The Greens’ education platform calls for funding for government schools to be prioritised ahead of non-government schools, irrespective of need,” Mr Fox said.

“This position cannot be reconciled with the Greens’ stated commitment to needs-based, sector-blind funding.

“The Greens have called for funding to be taken from non-government schools and given to government schools. Taking money from non-government schools will certainly see school fees rise dramatically.

“Taken as a whole, the Greens’ education policy would be likely to damage non-government schools across Australia.”

Catholic School Parents Australia chairman Tony O’Byrne urged Catholic parents and grandparents to vote for parties that support their children’s education.

“Many of us lived through the divisive debate on school funding, pitting sector against sector, and it is deeply concerning that some political parties wish to reignite that debate,” he said.

“School choice is overwhelmingly valued by parents. Parents are concerned that there would be a seismic shift in the way Catholic schools can operate if the Aust­ralian Greens were in a position to implement their school policies.”

The attacks come after Greens senator Nick McKim lashed out at Mr Elder, who said Greens’ education policy was biased towards the public education system and that the party believed the growth in federal funding to the non-­government sector had an adverse impact on public education.

Mr Elder wrote last week to the parents of more than 200,000 ­Victorian Catholic children, urging against a vote for the Greens and rather a vote for the Liberals or Labor.