Catholic schools face uncertain funding future

Federal Labor MP Brian Mitchell is demanding federal funding certainty for Tasmania’s vital Catholic education sector.
Mr Mitchell said he had received a letter from the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office pleading for urgent assistance in securing funding after December.
“Existing funding arrangements for our schools will cease at the end of this year, and at this point we haven’t received any information about what is going to happen next year,” wrote Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission chair Michael Polley AM.
Mr Polley also said the Government had “failed to undertake required reviews of the operation of the funding model” and the sector was “yet to receive a response to valid concerns”.
Mr Mitchell says the sector and the families who rely on it are being treated shabbily.
“Sixteen thousand students and more than 2000 staff deserve to know what their funding is going to look like beyond December this year,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The Government’s failure to provide funding certainty is making it impossible to plan for the future and it’s time for Simon Birmingham to sort it out.”
BRIAN MITCHELL MP FEDERAL LABOR MEMBER FOR LYONS