Media release – Josh Willie MLC, Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years, 4 June 2023

Excursion fund to help kids get more out of their education

A Labor Government will create a $1 million excursion fund to help schools give students more out-of-classroom experiences while keeping costs for parents down.

Excursions are an important part of a child’s education because they allow them to gain knowledge they can’t learn in the classroom, while having fun and breaking up the everyday school routine.

Today I was joined by Tasmanian parent Jasmine Flannery, who has two primary school-aged children. Jasmine and her children all agree that more excursions will make for a better learning experience.

In addition to the excursion fund, Labor’s Right Priorities Plan also has measures to cut other costs and remove barriers parents face with education and training.

These include making it easier to afford school fees, providing more support to get kids playing sport, expanding after school hours care, and making it easier for parents to access childcare if they’re studying themselves.

After ten years of a Liberal Government, Tasmania’s education outcomes are some of the worst in the nation, and cost-of-living pressures are rising every day.

Labor’s plan will be good for kids, good for parents, and importantly, good for family budgets.

Labor’s plan to ease the costs parents face with education and training

Measure Cost
  • Increase childcare subsidies for TAFE students1
 $0.1m
  • Excursion fund (paid to schools) 2
 $1m
  • Expand eligibility of Ticket to Play3
 $1m
  • Extension of after school hours care at 10 locations4
 $0.9m
  • Automatically allow parents to pay school fees quarterly or by direct debit rather than all at once
 Nil
  • 1 Increasing childcare subsidies is a combination of increasing the subsidy available (from 25% of costs up to $400, to 50% up to $800), and also promoting the support more widely, as only about $4,000 worth of subsidies were paid to 21 people last year.
  • 2 Providing more learning opportunities in the community and minimising parent and guardian contributions.
  • 3 Based on last year’s redemption rates, an additional $1m will result in another 8,500 kids receiving help with sports fees.
  • 4 Locations for the extension of after-hours care will be determined through an EOI process based on local need

Labor Promises Excursion & Childcare Funding 3

Media release – Minderoo Foundation, 5 June 2023

THRIVE BY FIVE WELCOMES TASMANIAN OPPOSITION COMMITMENT TO REDUCE EARLY LEARNING OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS 

Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five initiative has welcomed a new commitment from the Tasmanian Opposition to reduce high out-of-pocket early learning costs for parents and carers undertaking further study at TAFE.

“Tasmanian families are paying more than ever before for early childhood education and care,” said Thrive by Five director Jay Weatherill.

Fees for childcare increased by an average of 5.6 per cent in Tasmania in the year to September 2022, according to the latest release of data from the Department of Education.*

“Out-of-pocket costs are an enormous barrier, making it difficult for families to access the childcare they need to undertake their own study.

“This means not only is it harder for parents and carers to complete their qualifications and get a job, but children miss out on the lifelong health, education and well being benefits associated with high quality early childhood education and care.

“We welcome this commitment and we encourage all Tasmanian political parties to develop further policies and initiatives to reduce high out-of-pocket early learning costs.

“This would ensure Tasmanian families can work and study and that children will enjoy the benefits of a high quality, universally accessible and affordable early learning system,” Mr Weatherill said.

* https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/resources/september-quarter-2022-data-tables