Victorian families who value educational choice have today been punished as the Andrews Government confirms the school hit list for its unfair and regressive Schools Tax.
Five weeks after being first announced, the Andrews Government has finally confirmed schools with income per student as low as $15,000 per year will be hit by Labor's Schools Tax.
This humiliating backdown - effectively doubling the original threshold - comes after advocacy from the Liberals and Nationals alongside families and schools across Victoria who said no to Labor's punishing Schools Tax. However, simply tweaking the threshold will not fix this unfair and regressive tax.
This threshold will include funds raised by community donations and fundraisers and will be set in place until 2029 - meaning dozens more schools will become subject to Labor's Schools Tax over the coming years.
The Andrews Government's Schools Tax also includes the COVID Debt Levy, Mental Health Levy and an up to 42 per cent hike in WorkCover Premiums, which together will add thousands of dollars to the cost of educating a child and mean further financial uncertainty for hundreds of schools across Victoria.
Shadow Minister for Education, Matt Bach, said Labor's Schools Tax was an unprecedented measure that would punish hardworking Victorian families.
"Hardworking families across Victoria will be punished by Labor's Schools Tax, which will add thousands of dollars to the cost of educating a child," Mr Bach said.
"School communities should not be the ones to pay for the waste and mismanagement of the Andrews Government. This is an unfair and regressive tax that the Liberals and Nationals will scrap."
Shadow Minister for Finance, Jess Wilson, said hardworking Victorian families and students from low-income households deserve better than to pay the price of the Andrews Government's incompetence.
"This is a tax that will hit low-income families the hardest and threatens to push many who work hard and make enormous sacrifices out of the school of their choice," Ms Wilson said.
"Schools will not be able to absorb this unexpected tax hit, meaning that the only options schools will have will be to reduce educational programs, cut teachers and staff or, most likely, increase school fees for parents."
"This is an unfair tax on aspiration and educational outcomes. Only a Pesutto Liberals and Nationals Government will scrap it."
