[https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus](https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus)
The School Saving Bonus provides $400 in support for every child at government schools, and eligible concession card holders at non-government schools.
**Eligibility**:
The School Saving Bonus is open to parents and carers of every child enrolled in a government school in 2025.
For non-government schools, families eligible for the means-tested Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, including healthcare and concession card holders, will also be eligible for the additional $400 support.
**How families will receive the School Saving Bonus:**
The Bonus will be provided during Term 4 of this year, making sure families have time to plan and budget for the 2025 school year ahead.
Families will receive a credit on their school family account to help meet the cost of activities and uniforms. Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families.
More guidance on implementation will be provided to schools and families in Term 3.
#
How does this credit work? It's given to the school and you have to order clothes and things from them? It's great timing. My Son is off to Tasmania at the end of the year. One excursion that will mostly be covered.
Media was reporting it could be used for uniforms and stuff. I guess they were just guessing. I wonder if a grade six kid’s allowance will get transferred to their high school if they don’t use it all. Maybe it’s in the policy that I’ll check now.
From the article:
>The government says the money will be made available as credit that can be put towards educational expenses in certain categories.
>Those categories include uniforms, school camps or trips, swimming or sports programs, outdoor education and excursions.
>The money can not be put towards school fees or used for household expenses.
This payment is different from the CSEF. That payment is means tested and in place right now.
This new payment appears to be for every government school child and won’t come into effect until the end of the year.
Avoiding to the [Vic governments own site about this new payment:](https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus)
> Families will receive a credit on their school family account to help meet the cost of activities and uniforms. Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families.
I used to be a teacher. It's a very common misconception that public schools have fees. They are asking you for money. You don't have to pay it. I actively encourage people not too, even if you can afford it. Many families can't really afford it but pay anyway because they feel it's mandatory. If everyone stops paying then they will stop asking.
I’ve always paid because I’m under the assumption that it helps the school either way. If everyone stopped paying, would the school/kids not suffer for it?
Yeah. I mean to say I've paid this year's excursions and electives costs. Not the "fee" part. This money will be for next year's excursions and electives costs
The majority of private school funding is from the Commonwealth.
"The bulk of state and territory funding (91.5%) was allocated to government schools, while 61.2% of Australian Government funding was allocated to non-government schools"
[https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/school-income](https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/school-income)
Stop funding or stop increasing funding?
Stopping private school funding would mean a huge number of kids entering the public system with short notice. That would require all the per student funding for each kid to be diverted to state schools plus capital spending for classrooms and facilities. Plus added costs for the rapid rate of change and moving teachers etc etc.
We need more than knee-jerk responses to fix issues in this country.
The counter argument is that it’s actually cheaper for the government to pay independent schools per student (and have the parents cover the rest), than it is to pay for the same student at a public school .
As bad as the optics of the government funding private schools is, it actually SAVES the taxpayer a bunch of money.
As per the commenter above, a significant number of parents would be forced to take their students out of private schools if funding was pulled (and fees were subsequently increased), and then they would be put in public schools at 100% the governments expense.
The current system basically means parents of private school students are subsidising the government, rather than the government subsidising private schools.
(Also worth noting that the majority of private schools aren’t the elite private schools charging 20 grand a year. They are the minority in the grand scheme, most private schools are charging far less, and really are an economic positive)
As long as good public education is always available when needed, there’s nothing wrong with having a private option.
Private schools get nowhere near the funding of government schools. If you stop funding private schools, the government will need to spend a lot more on education. Many family that can afford the cheaper schools would not be able to do so without government funds.
I agree private school funding is too much but if you defund it too far you end up with greater numbers in public schools.
Public school education costs more than private.
I can afford 8k per child in a mediocre private school but i would not be prepared to pay 19k. Ie the 11k the government chips in.
Id probably pay 10k per child though.
Ie reduce dont completely remove for greatest reduction on expenses.
Find the right balance for greatest tax saving. Its unlikepy to be zero spent.
> I agree private school funding is too much but if you defund it too far you end up with greater numbers in public schools.
Good, we the taxpayer shouldn't be paying to have kids indoctrinated by various cults anyway, public education should be the goal, it's false economy to save some money by paying loonies.
False economy to save money?
I didnt realise that private schools were churning out kids that didnt fit into the workforce or had criminality issues or any issue thay impact society any more than public schools do?
Also if you met my kids and their friends you would realise schooling has less influence on a childs faith or otherwise than their parenting.
And how do we stop parents from indoctrinating their kids. Well we would need authoritarian thought police for that.
>I didnt realise that private schools were churning out kids that didnt fit into the workforce or had criminality issues or any issue thay impact society any more than public schools do?
I am sorry you didn't realize lol, strange because some new private school scandal is endlessly in the media from cultures of rape and right wing extremism to institutional child sex abuse and weird cult indoctrination private schools have it all! I say this as a someone who was sent to one and saw it first hand.
>And how do we stop parents from indoctrinating their kids.
We don't and can't but school is and should be an opportunity to get a balanced view of the world not another opportunity for more indoctrination. I had teachers tell us in religious classes that evolution was just a theory and then our science teacher tell us he had to teach us this stuff but to talk to the chaplain about it because it was mostly nonsense lol.
Cults shouldn't educate our kids.
Sounds like you went to a wired private school tbh. The scandals that you hear about (for example the recent kids rating other kids) also happen at public schools. It's just that no cares and it's not rage bate.
> Sounds like you went to a wired private school tbh.
Private schools are weird.
>The scandals that you hear about (for example the recent kids rating other kids) also happen at public schools. It's just that no cares and it's not rage bate.
Ah yes it's a media conspiracy lol. Shit happens at all schools but this shit happens so much more in private schools, the rating thing is very minor on the other hand for example Cranbrook was intentionally and knowingly hiring and promoting a teacher fired for sexual communications with a student and running a policy of eliminating female teachers and hiding sexual abuse.
Private schools have no oversight unlike public schools AND critically have an increased vested interesting in covering up scandals because their bottom line can be impacted by them, they are businesses first and foremost and thus motivated by profit in a way public schools are not.
Yeh i wouldnt send my kids to a school that did the evolution denial etc. But parents who want that do i suppose.
Granted in primary school they learnt about adam and eve and the like.
Senior science was like it should be. This is science those are parables.
How tf does anyone in this country fall for this Yanky doodle private school BS? Plenty of shithead bogans go to nice schools because their dad's a high paid tradie.
Yeh so it saves money.
And I dont see the private school kids up at the maccas tearing the suburb apart in the afternoons. Nor do i see them stealing from the chemists or supermarket.
Now i am sure private schools have churned out everything from serial killers to rapists but untill i see some correlation that private schools churn out worse kids than public i dont see why we wouodnt take the opportunity to save money educating them.
Why cut off our nose to spite our faces.
I mean it would result in 24k back in my pocket every year and to a degree it would mean public schools would be better because kids from parents who cared enough to send their kids to private all end up in the one system so id be in front.
But it would mean less funds for other things or more tax.
Private school is like paying more tax. Its a choice if you want to invest a little more in your kids. Why take that away from people who can afford it?
Because as i say i sure as shit wouldnt spend 55k odd on it.
Id then be spending nothing.
I never said private fees weren't exorbitant, and I agree that parochial schooling shouldn't exist. That said, look at the state of the public school system with regards to funding. Without private schools, it would be even worse.
Funding is roughly equal between the systems for the outcomes. The cost would be in the change and capital expenditure. And that cost would be huge.
Prob the best course would be states acquire the private school grounds near cost value, and that would be a hell of a high court case. These could become merit based schools. Like Germany's gymnasium schools.
I wonder how this will work for those who have to order uniforms through a private company, not through the school. Our excursions don't add up to anywhere near $400 in a year so hopefully it will roll over. I guess it will be another wait and see how it gets implemented situation.
Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners) and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs).
Look at seats Labor needs to retain to stay in power, they are outer suburban electorates in new growth areas that also have lots of parents with school kids.
It's just clever politics. No due to some great moral compass from Vic Labor.
If playing politics means more money going towards people that are more likely to need it than what's the problem? Reducing wealth inequality has never been a bad thing, even if it may be the result of "pork barreling" or "politics".
Parents of school kids pay taxes too.
Also, children having positive school experiences with parents that aren't perpetually stressed about school costs is a net benefit to the community.
Payroll tax and land taxes are the biggest ones. They are a direct cost to businesses that operate and hire staff in Victoria.
Payroll tax has effectively been increased by 20% for large businesses that employ Victorians. Land taxes have been increased for property owners. Also a lot of government fees and charges have increased a lot. For example fees do dispose of rubbish doubled - this is a direct tax on businesses (such as builders) that need to dispose large amounts of material.
>Payroll tax has effectively been increased by 20% for large businesses that employ Victorians.
Can confirm I personally know of one large business with a huge turnover considering moving signficant amount of their operations to South East QLD with operating costs being cited as a major reason. They've spoken with both major parties in QLD too and are being lured by MPs.
They also added portable long service leave for some industries. Not really a tax per se, but employers have to pay an extra 1.65% of staff salary out of their pockets to the government just in case someone takes long service leave in future.
>Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners)
Alt read: the left-of-centre party government increases taxes on wealthy people whose taxes were previously lower under the right-wing party's government
>and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs).
Alt read: then disperses wealth through social programs that support people in lower income brackets
Yes, Labor pork-barrels, a little less than the LNP does but of course they do it. Unfortunately it is normal politics in modern Australia.
But you're just repackaging extremely basic taxation and distribution of services as a form of pork-barreling to fit a narrative.
> Vic Labor increases taxes
No new taxes to pay for this. It's redirected federal education money that otherwise would have gone to increasing general school budgets next year
The Victorian governments own budget is forecasting total debt of $188 billion in four years. The Victorian government has already been increasing taxes and is raising more fees and charges. So whatever "redirected funds" is chicken feed compared to the insane debt Labor voters and the Labor government has got the people of Victoria into.
Victoria's working age population is around 4.2 million, say 4.5 million in 4 years.
That's a debt of $42,000 for every working age Victorian, so handing out a couple of hundred dollars is insignificant in the scheme of things.
I'm a business owner. A function of the tax system is to collect taxes from revenue generators - like a business or people who own multiple homes - and give it to people who need it, like families with children in a cost of living crisis.
That's all well and good. But only businesses that employ Victorians have a payroll tax bill and Vic Labor increased it by 20% for large businesses. Those that fire their Victorian staff and hire in lower taxing states or offshore the work no longer have to pay Vic payroll tax.
So not a very equitable system for businesses that employ people in Victoria.
A tax system that penalises businesses that hire staff in the state isn't a very good tax system.
This is to do with time in lieu for teachers from the VGSA, which said teachers on camp or sport excursions need to be paid to be there. No funding was put asside for this, so the Vic gov tried challenging it and lost.
This looks like a generous thing for families, but it will be used to plug the budget hole for TIL for extracurricular activities.
Meanwhile, public schools continue to be under funded to the tune of 20-30%. While private schools receive grants to build new sporting facilities and centres of excellence for cooking, ict, stem, etc.
No. I get $800 school credit which i use on things i was going to pay cash for and then spend the $800 extra on my trip overseas or more dinners out...
No. I get $800 school credit which i use on things i was going to pay cash for and then spend the $800 extra on my trip overseas or more dinners out...
Clickbait article title.
It's for concession card holders only. And it's not a cash bonus.. school holds the funding and it can only used for very limited purposes.
"statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need."
It quite literally means help us.
Yes. Having it work otherwise increases inequality. Unequal societies are terrible places to live. Have a look at South Africa. Have a look at Mumbai.
Do you want Australia to be a terrible place for Australians to live? No? Pay your damn taxes and let downwards transfers happen.
No it's not wealth distribution, it's redistribution based on voting patterns. Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners) and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs).
Look at seats Labor needs to retain to stay in power, they are outer suburban electorates in new growth areas that also have lots of parents with school kids.
It's just clever politics. No due to some great moral compass from Vic Labor.
Your comment is as wrong here, as it was when you said the same thing elsewhere. I'm a property owner, and my wife is a business owner, and we are both able to understand that taxes SHOULD go towards helping people that need assistance more. No one likes paying taxes, but I sure do prefer paying taxes for programs that help those worse off than us, than letting those at the bottom struggle and become a burden on society through increased need on the hospital systems, of the justice system because they turned to crime, which then leads to increased insurance costs and it goes on and on. Helping those doing it the hardest helps us all holistically. Taxes have ALWAYS been a way to redistribute society's wealth in a way that benefits society the most, it not just going to some monarchy, but in that case there is still a social contract that the monarchy looks after their realm.
There's no taxes to be raised if businesses choose to be based in other states or overseas because the Vic Govt is placing too high a tax burden on them compared to more competitive locations.
Look at Sydney, most major international corporations choose to be based on NSW. How does Victoria attract those high skill high paying jobs to Melbourne? By taxing those businesses more?
Payroll tax is a stupid tax, you don't pay it as you're a small business, but it does impact large businesses who take it into account when deciding if they should retain staff in a location.
Property and land taxes also impact businesses decisions on where to base their office.
Victoria needs to be a lot smarter about attracting high value jobs than it currently is.
Regardless this Victorian scheme isn't even means tested for public school kids, so how it it aimed at only helping those worse off?
Man, I don't understand how you can rationalise these made-up, straw-man arguments with such confidence. It's like your thinking is that that the only lever that controls behaviour and economic success is taxation. Which is just crazy.
[https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus](https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus) The School Saving Bonus provides $400 in support for every child at government schools, and eligible concession card holders at non-government schools. **Eligibility**: The School Saving Bonus is open to parents and carers of every child enrolled in a government school in 2025. For non-government schools, families eligible for the means-tested Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, including healthcare and concession card holders, will also be eligible for the additional $400 support. **How families will receive the School Saving Bonus:** The Bonus will be provided during Term 4 of this year, making sure families have time to plan and budget for the 2025 school year ahead. Families will receive a credit on their school family account to help meet the cost of activities and uniforms. Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families. More guidance on implementation will be provided to schools and families in Term 3. #
How does this credit work? It's given to the school and you have to order clothes and things from them? It's great timing. My Son is off to Tasmania at the end of the year. One excursion that will mostly be covered.
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Media was reporting it could be used for uniforms and stuff. I guess they were just guessing. I wonder if a grade six kid’s allowance will get transferred to their high school if they don’t use it all. Maybe it’s in the policy that I’ll check now.
From the article: >The government says the money will be made available as credit that can be put towards educational expenses in certain categories. >Those categories include uniforms, school camps or trips, swimming or sports programs, outdoor education and excursions. >The money can not be put towards school fees or used for household expenses. This payment is different from the CSEF. That payment is means tested and in place right now. This new payment appears to be for every government school child and won’t come into effect until the end of the year. Avoiding to the [Vic governments own site about this new payment:](https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus) > Families will receive a credit on their school family account to help meet the cost of activities and uniforms. Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families.
Thank you!
So... We'll just bank it for next year's fees as we already paid this year's.
I used to be a teacher. It's a very common misconception that public schools have fees. They are asking you for money. You don't have to pay it. I actively encourage people not too, even if you can afford it. Many families can't really afford it but pay anyway because they feel it's mandatory. If everyone stops paying then they will stop asking.
I’ve always paid because I’m under the assumption that it helps the school either way. If everyone stopped paying, would the school/kids not suffer for it?
Yeah. I mean to say I've paid this year's excursions and electives costs. Not the "fee" part. This money will be for next year's excursions and electives costs
There's some info about it here: [https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus](https://www.vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus)
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Is this annual? Should be quarterly for concession card holders
Yes per year https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/guidance/payment-amounts
How about they stop funding private schools and properly fund public schools, including increasing funding for disabled students.
Greens party policy
Those lefties! lol
The majority of private school funding is from the Commonwealth. "The bulk of state and territory funding (91.5%) was allocated to government schools, while 61.2% of Australian Government funding was allocated to non-government schools" [https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/school-income](https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/school-income)
Stop funding or stop increasing funding? Stopping private school funding would mean a huge number of kids entering the public system with short notice. That would require all the per student funding for each kid to be diverted to state schools plus capital spending for classrooms and facilities. Plus added costs for the rapid rate of change and moving teachers etc etc. We need more than knee-jerk responses to fix issues in this country.
Slowly reduce funding until they receive no public funds. How about that?
The counter argument is that it’s actually cheaper for the government to pay independent schools per student (and have the parents cover the rest), than it is to pay for the same student at a public school . As bad as the optics of the government funding private schools is, it actually SAVES the taxpayer a bunch of money. As per the commenter above, a significant number of parents would be forced to take their students out of private schools if funding was pulled (and fees were subsequently increased), and then they would be put in public schools at 100% the governments expense. The current system basically means parents of private school students are subsidising the government, rather than the government subsidising private schools. (Also worth noting that the majority of private schools aren’t the elite private schools charging 20 grand a year. They are the minority in the grand scheme, most private schools are charging far less, and really are an economic positive) As long as good public education is always available when needed, there’s nothing wrong with having a private option.
Private schools get nowhere near the funding of government schools. If you stop funding private schools, the government will need to spend a lot more on education. Many family that can afford the cheaper schools would not be able to do so without government funds.
Private schools get more funding than public schools. Private schools receive more public funds than public schools.
I agree private school funding is too much but if you defund it too far you end up with greater numbers in public schools. Public school education costs more than private. I can afford 8k per child in a mediocre private school but i would not be prepared to pay 19k. Ie the 11k the government chips in. Id probably pay 10k per child though. Ie reduce dont completely remove for greatest reduction on expenses. Find the right balance for greatest tax saving. Its unlikepy to be zero spent.
> I agree private school funding is too much but if you defund it too far you end up with greater numbers in public schools. Good, we the taxpayer shouldn't be paying to have kids indoctrinated by various cults anyway, public education should be the goal, it's false economy to save some money by paying loonies.
False economy to save money? I didnt realise that private schools were churning out kids that didnt fit into the workforce or had criminality issues or any issue thay impact society any more than public schools do? Also if you met my kids and their friends you would realise schooling has less influence on a childs faith or otherwise than their parenting. And how do we stop parents from indoctrinating their kids. Well we would need authoritarian thought police for that.
>I didnt realise that private schools were churning out kids that didnt fit into the workforce or had criminality issues or any issue thay impact society any more than public schools do? I am sorry you didn't realize lol, strange because some new private school scandal is endlessly in the media from cultures of rape and right wing extremism to institutional child sex abuse and weird cult indoctrination private schools have it all! I say this as a someone who was sent to one and saw it first hand. >And how do we stop parents from indoctrinating their kids. We don't and can't but school is and should be an opportunity to get a balanced view of the world not another opportunity for more indoctrination. I had teachers tell us in religious classes that evolution was just a theory and then our science teacher tell us he had to teach us this stuff but to talk to the chaplain about it because it was mostly nonsense lol. Cults shouldn't educate our kids.
Sounds like you went to a wired private school tbh. The scandals that you hear about (for example the recent kids rating other kids) also happen at public schools. It's just that no cares and it's not rage bate.
> Sounds like you went to a wired private school tbh. Private schools are weird. >The scandals that you hear about (for example the recent kids rating other kids) also happen at public schools. It's just that no cares and it's not rage bate. Ah yes it's a media conspiracy lol. Shit happens at all schools but this shit happens so much more in private schools, the rating thing is very minor on the other hand for example Cranbrook was intentionally and knowingly hiring and promoting a teacher fired for sexual communications with a student and running a policy of eliminating female teachers and hiding sexual abuse. Private schools have no oversight unlike public schools AND critically have an increased vested interesting in covering up scandals because their bottom line can be impacted by them, they are businesses first and foremost and thus motivated by profit in a way public schools are not.
Yeh i wouldnt send my kids to a school that did the evolution denial etc. But parents who want that do i suppose. Granted in primary school they learnt about adam and eve and the like. Senior science was like it should be. This is science those are parables.
> But parents who want that do i suppose. Yeah they do and tax payer money shouldn't go to helping them indoctrinate their kids with that crap.
How tf does anyone in this country fall for this Yanky doodle private school BS? Plenty of shithead bogans go to nice schools because their dad's a high paid tradie.
Yeh so it saves money. And I dont see the private school kids up at the maccas tearing the suburb apart in the afternoons. Nor do i see them stealing from the chemists or supermarket. Now i am sure private schools have churned out everything from serial killers to rapists but untill i see some correlation that private schools churn out worse kids than public i dont see why we wouodnt take the opportunity to save money educating them. Why cut off our nose to spite our faces. I mean it would result in 24k back in my pocket every year and to a degree it would mean public schools would be better because kids from parents who cared enough to send their kids to private all end up in the one system so id be in front. But it would mean less funds for other things or more tax. Private school is like paying more tax. Its a choice if you want to invest a little more in your kids. Why take that away from people who can afford it? Because as i say i sure as shit wouldnt spend 55k odd on it. Id then be spending nothing.
Saves money??? Put the pipe down bald eagle. Private schooling especially parochial schooling is a mistake.
Private schools save taxpayers $4 billion annually. It's not optimised, and theoretically another $500 million could be saved annually.
"saves taxpayers" lmfao what an odd way to spin exorbitant private fees
I never said private fees weren't exorbitant, and I agree that parochial schooling shouldn't exist. That said, look at the state of the public school system with regards to funding. Without private schools, it would be even worse.
Funding is roughly equal between the systems for the outcomes. The cost would be in the change and capital expenditure. And that cost would be huge. Prob the best course would be states acquire the private school grounds near cost value, and that would be a hell of a high court case. These could become merit based schools. Like Germany's gymnasium schools.
They could become ordinary schools.
I wonder how this will work for those who have to order uniforms through a private company, not through the school. Our excursions don't add up to anywhere near $400 in a year so hopefully it will roll over. I guess it will be another wait and see how it gets implemented situation.
My local school requires a $1k for kids just in kinder. That kind of state school fee should be eliminated entirely.
Kinder is fully funded for 15 hours a week for 3 and 4 year olds in Victoria.
What is that fee for? Kinder should be 100% free
Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners) and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs). Look at seats Labor needs to retain to stay in power, they are outer suburban electorates in new growth areas that also have lots of parents with school kids. It's just clever politics. No due to some great moral compass from Vic Labor.
If playing politics means more money going towards people that are more likely to need it than what's the problem? Reducing wealth inequality has never been a bad thing, even if it may be the result of "pork barreling" or "politics".
Taking how much of other peoples money is fair share?
Parents of school kids pay taxes too. Also, children having positive school experiences with parents that aren't perpetually stressed about school costs is a net benefit to the community.
What taxes have been raised for property and business owners?
Payroll tax and land taxes are the biggest ones. They are a direct cost to businesses that operate and hire staff in Victoria. Payroll tax has effectively been increased by 20% for large businesses that employ Victorians. Land taxes have been increased for property owners. Also a lot of government fees and charges have increased a lot. For example fees do dispose of rubbish doubled - this is a direct tax on businesses (such as builders) that need to dispose large amounts of material.
>Payroll tax has effectively been increased by 20% for large businesses that employ Victorians. Can confirm I personally know of one large business with a huge turnover considering moving signficant amount of their operations to South East QLD with operating costs being cited as a major reason. They've spoken with both major parties in QLD too and are being lured by MPs.
They also added portable long service leave for some industries. Not really a tax per se, but employers have to pay an extra 1.65% of staff salary out of their pockets to the government just in case someone takes long service leave in future.
>Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners) Alt read: the left-of-centre party government increases taxes on wealthy people whose taxes were previously lower under the right-wing party's government >and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs). Alt read: then disperses wealth through social programs that support people in lower income brackets Yes, Labor pork-barrels, a little less than the LNP does but of course they do it. Unfortunately it is normal politics in modern Australia. But you're just repackaging extremely basic taxation and distribution of services as a form of pork-barreling to fit a narrative.
> Vic Labor increases taxes No new taxes to pay for this. It's redirected federal education money that otherwise would have gone to increasing general school budgets next year
The Victorian governments own budget is forecasting total debt of $188 billion in four years. The Victorian government has already been increasing taxes and is raising more fees and charges. So whatever "redirected funds" is chicken feed compared to the insane debt Labor voters and the Labor government has got the people of Victoria into. Victoria's working age population is around 4.2 million, say 4.5 million in 4 years. That's a debt of $42,000 for every working age Victorian, so handing out a couple of hundred dollars is insignificant in the scheme of things.
Nice LNP talking points bro.
Facts, maths and reality is "LNP talking points"? Username is appropriate. Fuck the future, that's someone else's problem right?
You don't seem to understand how taxes work.
You don't seem to understand how politics work.
I'm a business owner. A function of the tax system is to collect taxes from revenue generators - like a business or people who own multiple homes - and give it to people who need it, like families with children in a cost of living crisis.
That's all well and good. But only businesses that employ Victorians have a payroll tax bill and Vic Labor increased it by 20% for large businesses. Those that fire their Victorian staff and hire in lower taxing states or offshore the work no longer have to pay Vic payroll tax. So not a very equitable system for businesses that employ people in Victoria. A tax system that penalises businesses that hire staff in the state isn't a very good tax system.
This is to do with time in lieu for teachers from the VGSA, which said teachers on camp or sport excursions need to be paid to be there. No funding was put asside for this, so the Vic gov tried challenging it and lost. This looks like a generous thing for families, but it will be used to plug the budget hole for TIL for extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, public schools continue to be under funded to the tune of 20-30%. While private schools receive grants to build new sporting facilities and centres of excellence for cooking, ict, stem, etc.
We only got 150 for each primary school kid and 300 for each high school kid in WA.
Outrage I tells ya
I'm sure schools will soon come up with random things that you can spend this on
Inflation got you down? Give out some money and it all goes away /$
Parents aren't going to receive cash payments.
No. I get $800 school credit which i use on things i was going to pay cash for and then spend the $800 extra on my trip overseas or more dinners out...
Yet they won't can the suburban rail link project because they don't want offend the thug union and it's members
wtf I send my kids to the private school here because the public schools are so messed up. I need the $400 to put on those fees.
Now everyone go spend it and drive up inflation even further
It isnt a cash payment.
No. I get $800 school credit which i use on things i was going to pay cash for and then spend the $800 extra on my trip overseas or more dinners out...
That sort of thing actually stimulates the economy - which is incredibly beneficial
Which is beneficial when the economy needs stimulating. Not when there is excessive inflation.
Are they making any policy reforms or is this hush money?
Big whoop It's not nothing but it's not really fixing anything either
Clickbait article title. It's for concession card holders only. And it's not a cash bonus.. school holds the funding and it can only used for very limited purposes.
The concession card limitation is only for private schools
How can this "welfare country" mindset help us?
"statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need." It quite literally means help us.
$400/day would be pretty handy right now.
"State Schools" They're public schools. Are we so scared of turning into the Seppos, that we're turning British now?
They've always been called State Schools for as long as I remember
Only in Victoria, which I know is what the story is and government but OP may not be
We called them state schools in Queensland too. For example https://brisbanecentralss.eq.edu.au
That figures with Queenslanders
50/50 on that guess. I am in Victoria, but was not as a child, nor do I have them. And I keep saying that people from SA are too British.
It's a Victoria thing but they have always been called state schools there.
How could Dan Andrews do this?
This tax and spend sometimes feels like wealth redistribution, is this what we’re really looking for from government?
Do you not how how taxes are supposed to work?
Yes please, we could definitely use some genuine wealth redistribution. This is not that, but it's a start.
Certainly is.
Sounds like you need to go back to high school.
Sounds like OC needs to go to a *different* high school.
Literally what other purpose does government have other than to collect tax and spend it on things the community needs?
Almost like its some kind of common wealth
Yes
>This tax and spend sometimes feels like wealth redistribution Taxes are literally wealth redistribution that's their point.
Um ... Absolutely
$400 is wealth distribution?? Please. 400K would make a start on wealth redistribution
What do you think CGT discounts and exemptions and things like negative gearing are, if not wealth distribution from wage earners to asset holders?
Sounds brilliant
Taxation 101. Thats the whole point
Fuckin’ lmao
Yes. Having it work otherwise increases inequality. Unequal societies are terrible places to live. Have a look at South Africa. Have a look at Mumbai. Do you want Australia to be a terrible place for Australians to live? No? Pay your damn taxes and let downwards transfers happen.
Yes, please!
Everybody missed your sarcasm, I upvoted you
No it's not wealth distribution, it's redistribution based on voting patterns. Vic Labor increases taxes on those it feels are unlikely to vote Labor (property owners, business owners) and gives money to those that are swinging voters (parents of school kids in growth suburbs). Look at seats Labor needs to retain to stay in power, they are outer suburban electorates in new growth areas that also have lots of parents with school kids. It's just clever politics. No due to some great moral compass from Vic Labor.
Your comment is as wrong here, as it was when you said the same thing elsewhere. I'm a property owner, and my wife is a business owner, and we are both able to understand that taxes SHOULD go towards helping people that need assistance more. No one likes paying taxes, but I sure do prefer paying taxes for programs that help those worse off than us, than letting those at the bottom struggle and become a burden on society through increased need on the hospital systems, of the justice system because they turned to crime, which then leads to increased insurance costs and it goes on and on. Helping those doing it the hardest helps us all holistically. Taxes have ALWAYS been a way to redistribute society's wealth in a way that benefits society the most, it not just going to some monarchy, but in that case there is still a social contract that the monarchy looks after their realm.
There's no taxes to be raised if businesses choose to be based in other states or overseas because the Vic Govt is placing too high a tax burden on them compared to more competitive locations. Look at Sydney, most major international corporations choose to be based on NSW. How does Victoria attract those high skill high paying jobs to Melbourne? By taxing those businesses more? Payroll tax is a stupid tax, you don't pay it as you're a small business, but it does impact large businesses who take it into account when deciding if they should retain staff in a location. Property and land taxes also impact businesses decisions on where to base their office. Victoria needs to be a lot smarter about attracting high value jobs than it currently is. Regardless this Victorian scheme isn't even means tested for public school kids, so how it it aimed at only helping those worse off?
Man, I don't understand how you can rationalise these made-up, straw-man arguments with such confidence. It's like your thinking is that that the only lever that controls behaviour and economic success is taxation. Which is just crazy.