Back to School Vouchers

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-143606

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Back to School Vouchers

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (14:29:11):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Condemns the Government for axing the popular Back to School vouchers.

(2)Notes that the former Government introduced the Back to School vouchers to help families purchase school supplies and provide cost-of-living support.

(3)Calls on the Government to reinstate this vital program to ease cost-of-living pressures for families in the electorate of Oatley.

This is a huge issue not only in Oatley but right across New South Wales. There are some things that governments should not do in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, and that includes cutting cost-of-living measures. All members in this place are here for one very important reason: We are here because the people in our communities have entrusted us to represent their views, concerns and needs in this place. Indeed, the needs of local residents and working families in my electorate drive me each and every day to come into this place, fight for them, represent them and speak on behalf of them. Every day that I am out and about in my local area, whether it is at train stations in the morning, during shopping centre visits, out doorknocking or at listening posts, the single biggest issue that is troubling local families is the cost of living.

The cost of living is the current defining issue of many people's lives, whether it is the extra zeros that are added to the end of our weekly grocery bill or the rising costs of mortgages, energy and child care. We all know because we hear it each and every day in our communities. Local families are doing it really tough. Life is already very hard. Whether it is rushing to get kids to school on time or waiting on the train platform because someone forgot to open the metro line, the people of New South Wales do not need to worry about whether they will have to sacrifice or go without because they simply cannot afford it. That is why the decision to cut back the vital Back to School vouchers was so shameful and cruel.

Many members who are parents would know that raising kids is not easy, and it is certainly not cheap. From food to clothing, housing supports, extracurricular activities, child care and school supplies, costs seem endless and enormous. In fact, figures published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies show that the weekly cost of raising a child ranges between $140 and $170 per child, per week, and it is climbing. That is why it was so astonishing that during this cost-of-living crisis, the New South Wales Labor Government has cut the only support measure that is targeted towards helping parents with the cost of schooling. In moving the motion before the House, I hope to demonstrate to the people of New South Wales that at least members on this side of the Chamber understand their challenges, and we are fighting for them each and every day.

The Back to School vouchers were introduced by the former Liberal-Nationals Government because even then we knew that families were doing it tough and schooling costs were a significant drain on the family budget. That is why ripping away $150 per child from local families is so cruel. During a time when families need help the most, why take $150 away from our kids' education, of all things? Some 3.4 million Back to School vouchers were redeemed in this State before the scheme was slashed by the Government, highlighting the ridiculous absurdity of its decision to axe them. Millions of families across New South Wales, including in my electorate, in Drummoyne, in Heathcote, in Campbelltown, in Leppington, in Riverstone and in Liverpool—even in the electorate of the member for Liverpool—are now missing out on the $150 to go towards shoes, stationary, backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, books, laptops and much more—all of which are necessary and expensive when they are added up together.

Schoolkids should not have to go to school with holes in their shoes, old backpacks or broken laptops due to the heartlessness of this Government. Community anger at this decision is clear. In my electorate we have received hundreds of calls and emails from mums and dads who are furious about the cuts. Our petition has received over 700 signatures from angry working families and parents right across my community. Wherever I go throughout my electorate, this issue is brought up time and again, because it is such an important issue. In the middle of a crisis, Government members have cut one of the many rebates that working families rely on. Our kids deserve better than what the Government is offering them. Cutting the Back to School vouchers is just another cruel cut from this Government. Families are already missing out on vital cost-of-living support through Active Kids, Creative Kids and First Lap vouchers—all these vouchers were cut, slashed and burnt by the Government. This is just another cut by the Government. When times are tough, members of the Opposition are all on the side of working families.

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL (Camden) (14:36:08):

The Government will not support the motion. I will point out a couple of very important things. As a former teacher I have the experience to talk about this very important topic. Good educational outcomes are not about having things. In 2003 famous educational speaker John Hattie said:

… the focus is to have a powerful effect on achievement, and this is where excellent teachers come to the fore – as such excellence in teaching is the single most powerful influence on achievement.

Let us unpack that for a minute. The single most powerful influence on achievement for a student is a teacher. We know that over the 12 years of the Liberal-Nationals Government, teachers were undermined, under‑respected and underpaid; they were overworked, overstressed and leaving in droves. Thousands of classes were being covered by a very small number of teachers. In fact, teacher vacancies reached the highest record ever of 3,220 in November 2022, and resignations were at record highs. For the first time in history, resignations outstripped retirements. We have never seen that before. Most alarmingly, there were resignations from early‑career teachers. These people came to teaching bright‑eyed, bushy-tailed and full of ideas about what their wonderful classroom would be like but, because they were undermined and underpaid, they left in droves. In fact, one day when I was out doorknocking I spoke to a young lady in Currans Hill. She opened the door and said, "I was a teacher," to which I said, "I was also a teacher."

Mr Rory Amon:

Why do you hate working families?

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL:

I am so pleased that the member walked in. I really look forward to talking to him. I love being told about what it is like to be a working mum! She said to me, "I think it is really interesting that this is your way out of teaching, because we all know that every teacher is looking for a way out." That is absolutely diabolical. That is what 12 years of being completely under-respected had done. We were losing teachers at a rate of knots. Since we formed government, we have put a record $27.9 billion into the education budget, more than at any time under the former Liberal-Nationals Government. We have had an investment into what is so—

Mr Matt Cross:

Point of order: My point of order is about relevance. We have given a lot of latitude to the speaker. The motion is clearly about vouchers. I ask that the member be brought back to the leave of the motion.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

There is no point of order. The member for Camden will continue.

Mrs SALLY QUINNELL:

We have also wanted to look at cost of living for everybody, not only people with children. Let us be honest. The cost of living does not choose to affect someone because they have children or not. The cost of living affects everyone, regardless. The cost-of-living crisis is fixed in one of two ways. Either we can hand out money to a select few groups, or we can lift the wages of all the employees of the Government, which is what we have done, starting with removing the wage cap, which has meant that each different group can negotiate for its own pay rise, which helps to ease the cost-of-living crisis. This has resulted in the biggest pay rise in a generation for the 95,000 public schoolteachers in New South Wales. The Liberals and The Nationals have been against this from the start. In fact, they are still against it. They do not want it and have talked about rolling it back.

One of the most important things we can have in front of our children is not a new pair of shoes or the latest backpack. It is not any amount of stuff. What is important for our students are teachers. Another member said to me earlier today that a good teacher can teach under a tree, with one pencil. That is what a good teacher does, and some of our teachers do that every day. Teachers all over New South Wales are providing school supplies for their students. If students need those things, no teacher will stop until they have them. Students have come to schools in dirty uniforms because something happened at home over the weekend. I know of teachers who have given them somewhere to change, taken the clothes into the school laundry, washed and ironed the uniform and put it back on the students. That is what teachers do. We do not allow students to go without.

It is also important that we have made temporary teachers and support staff members permanent. That allows teachers to do things like take out a loan because they know what they will be doing next year. When we came to government there were 20 per cent more teacher vacancies than there are now. The one thing that helps our students more than anything else is having an experienced, qualified teacher at the front of the room—not buying more stuff. We have ensured 20 per cent fewer teacher vacancies than at the beginning of March 2023. We have expanded the Foodbank school breakfast program because students having food in their stomachs when they come to school massively affects their learning. If their stomachs are full, they are ready to go and they can learn. It is important that we highlight the hypocrisy of the former Government not funding something and then blaming us for it not being funded. It was clearly stated that the Back to School vouchers expired at the beginning of 2023. It was outlined everywhere on the website. That is why we do not support this motion.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Before I call the member for Davidson, I welcome Councillor Dr George Greiss, the Mayor of Campbelltown, who is in the advisers' area to my right.

Mr MATT CROSS (Davidson) (14:43:29):

On behalf of the House, I thank the member for Oatley for turning up to move this motion. Last private members' day, I think about 10 motions were postponed because members did not turn up. If anyone knows how to support families and their communities, it is "Hooray for Coure", who continually upsets the Labor Party by getting re-elected. I want to go back in time to when back‑to‑school supports were introduced. An article on 1 February 2024, written by Michael Easson, was about the Treasurer who delivered nine balanced budgets and the Olympics. I am not talking about Daniel Mookhey. We know he will not do that. I am talking about Michael Egan. The article said that the back-to-school bonus that Premier Unsworth tried to introduce in 1987 and was resisted in Cabinet was then introduced by Egan with little fanfare in 1995, in his first budget. Where did the back-to-school vouchers come from? They came from Michael Egan.

Mr Edmond Atalla:

Point of order: We are almost halfway in, and he has only just mentioned school vouchers.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

There is no point of order.

Mr MATT CROSS:

It is astonishing that the Labor Party is taking a point of order while I am thanking a former Labor Treasurer. That says quite a bit. Michael Egan was passionate about being chair of the New South Wales waste watch committee, and I am proud to continue his strong legacy. My mother appreciated the back‑to‑school bonus from the Carr Government. That meant I could get my school shoes that year. The Back to School voucher is about supporting families with their cost of living, whether that includes shoes—like it did for me—textbooks, school bags or even stationery. Who else in this House likes stationery? I know 28,000 reasons why the education Minister sports lots of stationery. The $28,000 she spent on it in the last financial year is enough for 500 vouchers.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

Point of order: My point of order is taken under Standing Order 73. If the member wishes to attack the education Minister, he can do so by way of substantive motion. His comments are out of order. He should be asked to withdraw them.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The Minister has asked the member to withdraw his comments. Will the member for Davidson withdraw?

Mr MATT CROSS:

No. I am talking about fact. I find it fascinating that certain members of this House are defending the cutting of these vouchers. Some 3.5 million vouchers were claimed under the previous Government. How many vouchers did the Camden electorate claim?

Mrs Sally Quinnell:

How many?

Mr MATT CROSS:Time expired.

Some 73,000 vouchers. What is the two-party preferred margin in Camden? It is 2,835. Government members should not take the Premier's office's word when they come here. I see that the member for Liverpool is in the Chamber. Some 113,000 vouchers— []

Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (14:47:32):

I am delighted to briefly contribute some sense and facts to debate on the motion. It is no wonder that those opposite do not like the good education Minister. The simple reason is that the education Minister has been investing her time in fixing the damage they did. Mussolini in 1945 had more friends than they do in the education system. The reality is that they did not fund the vouchers. If they believe in them so much—

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The member for Campbelltown will resume his seat while I hear the point of order.

Mr Mark Coure:

I ask that he withdraw that comment. I also take a point of order on relevance. The member has not mentioned vouchers at all in almost the last minute.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Will the member for Campbelltown withdraw his comment?

Mr GREG WARREN:

No. The vouchers were not funded. They were a one-off. If Opposition members believe in the scheme so strongly, why did they not fund it? They never put it in the budget. The scheme was unfunded. The reality is that we are talking about education funding. I will defend the education Minister not because she is my friend and colleague but because of the effort she puts in to revitalise the education system and put students at the forefront of the Government's agenda, something that Opposition members failed to do during their 12 years of tyranny, which we all had to live through. For more than a decade, no group was punished more than the students at our schools.

The Government is investing a record $27.9 billion in the education budget. That is more than at any time under the former Liberal-Nationals Government. This Labor Government is investing in 100 new public preschools. There is groundbreaking and historical investment because we now have an education Minister who does what good education Ministers do: support the education system. That is a foreign concept to Opposition members. The former Government imposed tyranny and damage on our students and staff. Teachers were fleeing the tyranny of Liberal governance to the prosperous lands of Victoria and Queensland—social democracies under Labor governments that ensure students are getting the support they need.

After 12 years of Liberal tyranny, there was hope in sight. Like Joan of Arc herself, Prudence Car came in to rescue all our students and teachers. She is revitalising the education system to make it fit for purpose and modernised. She is giving children the best opportunity to get the best education that they need and deserve. Unfortunately, Opposition members struggle with the facts. We know and they know that they did not fund the vouchers. It is as simple as that. If the former Government believed in the program, it would have funded it. This is political opportunism at its greatest, all at the expense of our students. This Government has invested record funding in the little over a year that it has been in government. There is so much more to do. We on this side are going to keep doing what is right to support our students, something the former Government never did.

Mrs TINA AYYAD (Holsworthy) (14:51:39):

I thank my good friend the member for Oatley for all his hard work in representing his community. He is a great member. Members are elected to represent the people of our electorates and the people of New South Wales. I am not sure what Labor members are hearing on the ground, but quite clearly it is not about the need for more cost-of-living relief. To be honest, I do not know what they are hearing if it is not about the cost of living. Whilst young families on dual incomes are struggling to get by, the Minns Labor Government made the gutless decision to axe the popular Back to School voucher program introduced by the former Coalition Government. Many families in my electorate and south-west Sydney struggle to buy school uniforms and stationery at the start of the school year. Research shows that families in the Liverpool local government area are one of the communities most vulnerable to mortgage stress. The Temporary Speaker, I ask that I be heard in silence.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Order! Members will cease interjecting. I am struggling to hear the contribution of the member for Holsworthy. Members will be respectful.

Mrs TINA AYYAD:

Research shows that families in the Liverpool local government area are one of the communities most vulnerable to mortgage stress. It is up to the Government to implement targeted financial support measures to take the burden off those who need the most help. Yet the Labor Government has cut the Active Kids, Creative Kids and First Lap vouchers, despite claiming to be the party of the working class. These programs were designed to encourage physical activity and creativity among our youth, and to promote a healthy and well-rounded development. But actions speak louder than words. The decisions being made by this Labor Government are hurting the very people it claims to champion.

More than 3.4 million vouchers have been redeemed since the program's inception. But this is not just about statistics or reports; these are real families, real children and real struggles. The people of south-west Sydney deserve better. They deserve a government that listens and acts in their best interest. They deserve leaders who will fight for them and provide the support they need to thrive. Put simply, this Labor Government is ripping $150 out of every child's education every year in our State. That is on top of the existing Labor Government cuts to education in this State, particularly in Holsworthy, where not a single public primary or high school received funding for upgrades in the 2024-25 State Budget.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

Point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Order! The member for Holsworthy will resume her seat while I hear the point of order from the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

In response to a request from the member for Holsworthy, the Temporary Speaker asked members to listen in silence. Government members have adhered to that request, but I am finding it difficult to hear the member for Holsworthy because there is so much chatter coming from the Opposition front bench.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

There is no point of order. I remind members to be respectful.

Mrs TINA AYYAD:Time expired.

Opposition members can credibly claim that we are trying to support families with cost-of-living pressures. []

Mr CLAYTON BARR (Cessnock) (14:55:53):

I reluctantly contribute to debate on the motion moved by the member for Oatley, because this motion is founded on dishonesty and deceit. I like to think this House has a better model of governance than what is happening in America, but Trump-style politics are being played today. It is very, very disappointing. I really feel for the newer members of Parliament who are being led by the nose down towards the MAGA swamp. We do not have to go there.

Mr Nathan Hagarty:

Point of order: I know the Opposition is usually a muppet show, but I do not think it is appropriate to have Healthy Harold the giraffe in the Chamber. Props are not allowed.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Order! The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for Leppington will resume his seat while I confer with the Clerk. I have been advised that the use of props while a member is speaking is not allowed. I ask the member for Terrigal to remove the prop from the Chamber. The member for Cessnock will continue his contribution.

Mr CLAYTON BARR:

I appreciate the Temporary Speaker for trying to bring some decorum to the House, because this motion does not. This motion is based on dishonesty and deceit. When members speak in support of the motion, they are being fundamentally dishonest with their communities about the budget and the funding that sits behind the voucher scheme. They are deliberately going out of their way to mislead their communities. But their communities are smarter than this. Opposition members need to start respecting just how intelligent their communities are. To help that along—because I know the member for Oatley will probably apologise for moving this motion in his speech in reply—I will quote what some significant members of the Liberal Party team had to say on these vouchers. When the vouchers were announced in June 2022 the then finance Minister, Damien Tudehope of the other place, stated it was:

a one-off $150 back-to-school subsidy for every child undertaking primary or secondary school in 2023.

The significance of that statement is that this money was not baked into the budget on any ongoing basis. This money was in the form of grant funding, which means that it was borrowings to make it happen. In what year did it happen? It was the lead-up to the election year. That is how dishonest and deceitful this debate is. After 11½ years the former Government did not ever contemplate, initiate or, more importantly, bake into the budget this type of funding on a long-term, recurrent basis.

The financial truth of this set of vouchers is that those opposite took out a loan to fund this to try to get themselves re-elected. Then Treasurer Matt Kean also said that the program would run from 1 January 2023 until 30 June 2023. What happened in the middle of that six-month window? There was an election. The entire basis of this motion is dishonest and deceitful. To use the word of the lunatic in the United States of America, Donald Trump, it is a lie—a big, fat lie, because he is big on them. Sadly and unfortunately—

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The member for Cessnock will resume his seat. I will hear the point of order from the member for Oatley.

Mrs Sally Quinnell:

Can we stop the clock?

Mr Mark Coure:

There is no need to stop the clock. That word is unparliamentary. I ask the member to withdraw it. But I notice the member's time has expired.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

To the point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

I will hear the point of order. Members will cease debating across the Chamber.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

A point of order is still being decided. I am trying to be helpful. The member for Cessnock used the word in the context of it being said by somebody else. He was not calling the member a liar.

Mr Mark Coure:

Apology accepted.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Order! The member for Oatley will come to order. I note that the member's time has expired. However, the member for Oatley has asked the member for Cessnock to withdraw his comment. Does the member for Cessnock wish to withdraw.

Mr Mark Coure:

Clayton, you're better than that. I have never used that word.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The member's commentary is not needed.

Mr Clayton Barr:

Madam Speaker, as explained by the Minister, I was using the word in the context of quoting a human being called Donald Trump.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

Will the member withdraw the comment?

Mr Clayton Barr:Time expired.

If that offends the member— []

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:02:06):

In reply: I accept the apology from the member for Cessnock. Little Sammy Coure is turning five tomorrow. Happy birthday, Sam Coure. He starts school next year at Mortdale Public School. He and his childcare classmates will be the first year for which this voucher does not exist. There will not be any help for millions of kids like little Sammy. Back to School vouchers were an essential cost‑of‑living measure for local families to help secure the household budget in the face of enormous financial difficulties. When it comes to schooling, no expense should be spared to ensure our kids have what they need to succeed in education. Parents should not have to decide between buying their kids new school uniforms or supplies—

Mr Matt Cross:

Or stationery.

Mr MARK COURE:

Or stationery. Labor is full of cuts, lies and broken promises.

Mr Clayton Barr:

Point of order—

Mr MARK COURE:

The people of New South Wales deserve better than this mean and tricky Government.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The member for Oatley will resume his seat. I will hear the point of order from the member for Cessnock.

Mr MARK COURE:

I ask that you stop the clock.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

I will hear the point of order from the member for Cessnock.

Mr Clayton Barr:

I am deeply, deeply hurt by the language of the member for Oatley, who suggested that somehow I have told a lie. I ask the member to withdraw his comment.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The member for Cessnock has asked the member for Oatley to withdraw his comment. Would the member like to withdraw?

Mr MARK COURE:

No. Apology accepted. Some 3.4 million Back to School vouchers were redeemed in this State before the scheme was slashed by those opposite, highlighting how ridiculous the decision to axe them was. Millions of families right across New South Wales are missing out on the $150, which could go towards shoes, stationery, backpacks, lunch boxes and so forth. Schoolkids should not have to go to school with holes in their shoes, old backpacks or broken laptops thanks to the cruelty of this Government.

The cut to the Back to School vouchers is just another cruel, unnecessary cut the likes of which we have seen under this Government. Already thousands of families in my electorate and millions across New South Wales are missing out, with cuts to vital cost‑of‑living support like Active Kids, Creative Kids, or the First Lap vouchers that supported these families to encourage young kids to learn to swim. Thousands of families are now missing out on crucial financial lifelines that once were in place under the former Government.

Members on this side of the House will always stand up for families. We on this side of the House will always support young kids and working families across New South Wales. We will always fight for measures that take pressure off the household budget. When times are tough, members on this side of the House will always be on the side of families across New South Wales. The community has made it clear, not just in my electorate but in electorates right across New South Wales, that they want Back to School vouchers restored once and for all.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Stephanie Di Pasqua):

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes39

Noes48

Majority9

Motion negatived.