Boarding Portfolio Update from delegations.
At the 2024 ICPA Federal Conference, you the members, carried 14 motions under the boarding portfolio. Following conference, I was appointed the Boarding Portfolio leader and had my work cut out to continue the incredible work Alana Moller (IPP) poured into that role. Since conference, I have written several letters to Ministers, Senators, and other Australian Government Departments to articulate these motions and offer your practical solutions (many were outlined in the explanations of the motions).
During October, the Federal Councillors met in Canberra for their first face to face delegation. Given our incredible meeting schedule, we split into 3 groups to discuss several motions with various Members of Parliament & Senators. These meetings typically only last for 30min, a clear structure and outline of the discussion is planned prior to each meeting in order to maximise the meeting time.
2024 Motions A1, A2, A3: Review and restore the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Basic Boarding Allowance to cover at least 55% of the average cost of boarding as was its original intent when implemented in 1973.
These motions formed part of our ‘3 Key Issues’ that formed our focus while at Delegations.
Feedback and questions from our meetings:
- Do states offer different boarding allowances?
- Do boarding schools offer sibling discounts?
- Could parents’ income (when fluctuating) be calculated on a 3-5 year average?
- Could the Commonwealth Regional Scholarship Program (CRSP) funds be better used to restore the AIC to 55% of the average cost of boarding as it was originally intended?
- Are members talking to the local Member of Parliament to express this issue?
- Would families save any money if they kept their children at home instead of sending them to Boarding School?
If you are a family with children at boarding school, we need your help.
Can you provide Federal Council with feedback to the questions above? We are especially interested in your thoughts on Question 4,5,6.
2024 Motion S2: Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for schools with boarding facilities who provide on site living facilities for essential supervisory staff.
ABSA has calculated it costs approx. $2000 per child per year (boarding student) for schools to accommodate live in staff for the essential care of your children when not at attending the day school.
It is clear to ICPA Members, Members of Parliament and Senators (that we met with during October delegation) that these live in staff are providing an essential service – It is not a fringe benefit and thus, the FBT should be removed.
What can you do?
Write to your local Member of Parliament and ask:
- What they are doing to restore the AIC to cover at least 55% of the average cost of Boarding. Let them know how far away your closest secondary school is from your home. Tell them if sending your children to boarding school is the only option available to your family and the costs incurred.
- How are they addressing the FBT on boarding facilities that offer their essential supervisory staff accommodation, as providing overnight supervision and care is NOT a benefit, it is essential care for our children.
- Share with them other issues you have faced during your boarding school journey. Its not just about the costs, its about the emotional, social and educational outcomes for our children.
In addition, we are appealing to members to share the cost of sending your child to a boarding facility with ICPA(Aust) and why boarding school is the choice your family has made to educate your child.
Part of our advocacy is ensuring children from rural and remote areas have adequate access to an equitable education.
If rural communities have no regional secondary high school or your local secondary school does not provide the educational outcomes and activities that your child requires for their education, then we also need to express this during our delegations.
