[Greens-Media] Minister offers glimmer of hope on stopping private schools for profit

[John Kaye]

Minister offers glimmer of hope on stopping private schools for profit

 
Media Release  7 June 2007
 
NSW Minister for Education John Della Bosca has acknowledged the need
to look again at the legislative loopholes that currently allow private
schools to be operated for profit in this state, according to Greens NSW
MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: “There is now some chance that the Iemma government will
fix the error made by the pervious Minister Carmel Tebbutt in June last
year. 
 
“Her legislation failed to stop private schools turning government
subsidies into corporate profits.
 
“In response to a question I asked in the NSW Legislative Council this
afternoon in relation to the Independent Colleges of Australia’s (ICA)
proposed private school in Kurri Kurri, the Education Minister stated
that he would ensure that the existing legislation would be enforced,
not only to the letter but also in spirit.
 
“If he is serious he will need to close two massive loopholes.
 
“Under the existing legislation, private schools can contract out their
teaching activities to a profit-making company.
 
“Private schools can also continue to receive state subsidies while
paying members of their governing bodies large honoraria.
 
“Either way, state education funds that were intended to subsidise the
operations of private schools will end up as profits for a corporation.
 
“The Queensland Beattie Labor government got it right with their
legislation, which sent the schools for profit entrepreneurs packing.
 
“If the Minister does not change the legislation in NSW then this state
will become a honey pot to the operators who are out to make massive
profits at the public’s expense.
 
“This state gives private schools $734 million each year. The Iemma
government has an obligation to ensure that all of this money ends up
being spent on education and not as shareholder dividends and executive
bonuses,” Dr Kaye said.
 
 
For more information:       John Kaye 0407 195 455
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: John.Kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000