Fair school funding eases pressure on ACT families

Mr Ross Fox, Director of Catholic Education

ACT Catholic schools have today welcomed the announcement by Canberra Liberals to provide Catholic schools with fair funding, reversing cuts by the ACT Government.

Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn (Catholic Education) has been bracing for a series of funding cuts from the current ACT Government in 2021-2023. These cuts will significantly impact on school choice in the ACT.

Director of Catholic Education, Mr Ross Fox, thanked the Canberra Liberals for their commitment to helping local families in this difficult year.

“On behalf of ACT Catholic schools, I thank both Alistair Coe and Elizabeth Lee for their commitment to this funding and their recognition of cost of living pressures facing families,” Mr Fox said.

Catholic Education has spent the past year in quiet discussions with both the ACT Government and Opposition about the impact of the cuts, advocating for an improved approach.

“Our approach has been simple, to advocate for fair funding for students in Catholic schools. 25% of ACT Government school costs is a fair level and will put downward pressure on fees,” Mr Fox said.

“The Canberra Liberals’ proposal adopts this approach and will help keep values-based schools, such as Catholic schools, affordable for ACT families.”

“We know that the ACT Government funds public schools well, and that is important, but Canberra families also want well-funded and affordable Catholic schools too. The Canberra Liberals’ plan will bring this closer to realisation.”

Mr Fox said that ACT families were hopeful that the ACT Government would also reverse their proposed cuts and meet the 25% commitment.

“Both Chief Minister Barr and Education Minister Berry know how valued Catholic schools are and have recently visited Catholic primary schools in their electorates.

“Catholic Education calls on the Government to reverse their planned cuts to ACT Catholic schools,” Mr Fox concluded.