Foreign pupil charge delayed

WEST Australian Premier Colin Barnett yesterday has modified and delayed his plan to charge foreign workers $4000 a year per child.

WEST Australian Premier Colin Barnett yesterday watered down and delayed his unpopular plan to charge foreign workers $4000 a year per school-aged child, a backdown the Liberal leader hopes will mute criticism that has included a plea from a blind father who earns a modest wage converting text to braille.

The Barnett government intended to raise $120 million by charging workers on 457 visas an annual school fee of $4000 for each child sent to state school, August budget papers revealed. But a furious backlash from business and a well-run campaign by the workers themselves forced a rethink and the government is now likely to collect about half that amount.

Yesterday Mr Barnett announced that the charge of $4000 would apply only to the first child, with a reduced fee of $2000 a year for second and subsequent children. The charges would begin in 2015 instead of next year and workers could pay in instalments under hardship provisions, he said.

"But we are giving plenty of notice that the fees will apply from the year after next, giving people time to make the necessary arrangements to pay," Mr Barnett said.

Department of Education figures show there were 973 new enrolments of students whose parents are on 457 visas last year and 521 new enrolments so far this year.

"On average it costs more than $15,000 (a year) to educate a child . . . we have concluded the government has to introduce this measure to try to recoup some of the cost of educating these children from overseas," Mr Barnett said.

"This decision reflects the pressure on the state's budget and the reality that WA taxpayers contribute to the cost of services such as education over a lifetime of paying taxes, rather than a period of just four years, as with 457 visa holders."

Mr Barnett denied the announcement was a backflip ahead of a tough day in parliament, where he faced questions about a breakdown in his government's relationship with teachers, who plan to strike tomorrow over job cuts, as well as dissent within his own party over plans to slash the number of metropolitan councils by half.

Yesterday Mr Barnett called off a partyroom vote on measures that would have smoothed the path for forced council amalgamations, a day after former WA Liberal leader Bill Hassell went public with accusations that Mr Barnett was going back on his word to voters.

Mr Barnett insisted that infighting was not the reason he called off the vote yesterday.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan also accused Mr Barnett of imposing a "teacher tax" on schools -- in the shape of a $600 leave levy -- which will raise more then $17m.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AAP