James Bidgood (Dawson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline what opportunities the budget provides to help parents meet the everyday costs of their children’s education?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome that question, because the government is delivering substantial assistance to families, first of all, through the tax cuts. But the government is committed to delivering an education revolution. In addition to providing extra resources for the education system, we are also committed to helping parents with the everyday costs of their children: $4.4 billion to create a new education tax refund—1.3 million families and 2.7 million students. Eligible families will be able to receive a 50 per cent refund every year for key education expenses—laptops, stationery, school textbooks. All of those families eligible for family tax benefit A will be eligible for the education tax refund: $375 for each child undertaking primary studies; $750 for each child at secondary school. Of course, what parents need to do is to keep their receipts because they will be able to provide those and have the moneys returned in their 2008-09 income tax return. This is a very important initiative for Australian families, particularly when they are under considerable financial pressure. We on this side of the House are getting on with the job of assisting parents with the cost of their children’s education, as well as providing additional assistance to the education system itself.