Dozens more Victorian schools will be hit with payroll tax as the Andrews Government backflips once again on its unfair and regressive Schools Tax.
Just hours after confirming that schools currently declared exempt from Labor’s Schools Tax will remain exempt until 2029, the Andrews Government has backflipped and stated that schools will now be assessed annually and those that exceed the $15,000 threshold will be hit.
This about-face is the latest in the farcical rollout of the Andrews Government’s Schools Tax. In the short time since its announcement, the Andrews Government has backflipped on:
- The initial threshold, increasing it from $7,500 to $15,000.
- The number of impacted schools, reducing it from an initial hit list of 110 to 60 schools.
- The commitment to impose the tax only on the 60 non-exempt schools until 2029, now declaring that schools will be assessed and added to the to the tax hit list on an annual basis.
Shadow Minister for Education, Matt Bach, said the Andrews Government’s unfair and regressive Schools Tax has become an utter shambles.
“Victorian schools, families and students are paying the price for the Andrews Government’s incompetence,” Mr Bach said.
“Instead of properly managing its budget and reining in over $30 billion in major project cost blowouts, the Andrews Government is putting its hand in the pockets of school communities.
“The Schools Tax must be scrapped immediately, and if the Andrews Government won’t do it, a Liberals and Nationals Government will.”
Shadow Minister for Finance, Jess Wilson, said the Andrews Government’s Schools Tax has become an unviable farce that has to be scrapped.
“Labor’s Schools Tax is unfair, regressive and its implementation has become nothing more than a farce,” Ms Wilson said.
“The Andrews Government has gone back on its word and this latest change will see dozens more schools liable, and thousands of hardworking families hit by higher fees to send their children to the school of their choice.
“The Government has had one position in the morning, and another in the afternoon. Victorian families and non-government schools deserve better than to be paying the price of the Andrews Government’s incompetence.”
