Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate Our Lady of the Sacred Heart school on their fete that was held on the weekend. I was privileged to help open the fete with Father Dan Carroll and the principal, Mr John O'Connor. Dozens and dozens of parents are involved with this event, which raises tens of thousands of dollars for this important local parish school. At the fete I was overwhelmed by the number of parents, teachers and members of the community who were confused and concerned about the cuts by this government to the Catholic school sector in Australia.

I stand with Catholic Secondary Principals Australia and the work that they do, along with the Australian Catholic Primary Principals Association, which have written to the minister calling on him to properly consult with the sector:

The Catholic principals stand in solidarity with the Catholic education systems and they support system funding and the co-responsibility that goes with it. Hence, Catholic school principals stand united with the broader Catholic school community in the face of a deliberate strategy by the Government to undermine the system by pitting principal against principal, school against school (evidenced by the misleading letters to each school and the funding estimator website).

CaSPA and ACPPA want to make it clear that the tactic will not work.

We on this side of the chamber know the important work of local parish schools. We will continue to keep fighting for their funding, unlike the government, which is trying to cut it. (Time expired)