DEFENDING OUR SCHOOL'S FUNDING: YOU CAN HELP

As you heard from us last week, we are deeply concerned about the Victorian Labor Party’s intention to reduce our funding. St Mary MacKillop College is politically impartial and is advocating simply to retain our current level of funding – regardless of the party that is elected.  

Victorian non-government schools have received state funding equivalent to 25% of government school per-student funding since 2015. We understand the Victorian Labor Party intends to reduce this rate to 20%, applying a different funding model that could mean around $6.5 million less in funding in 2027 alone for schools across Catholic Education Ballarat. 

At the same time, our schools are managing significant operating cost increases, including staff wage increases as we maintain pay parity with Victorian government schools. Schools cannot absorb rising costs indefinitely. Reduced funding could place further pressure on budgets and school fees. 

We want families to have confidence that their children can continue to access an affordable, high-quality Catholic education.  

You can help by signing the petition at the front office and contacting your local Labor candidate, Christine Grundy, Christine.Grundy@vic.alp.org.au, to express your concerns. Please join us in urging Labor to join the Liberal and Nationals in publishing a written commitment to retain the currently level of state funding and model that has been in place since 2015.