From the Principal

Thought for the week

“We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.”

Hebrews 12:1

Huntingtower is a school that has prided itself on offering the highest possible education and care, and the Board makes every effort to keep our fees as low as financially prudent. While I typically avoid making comments of a political nature, the recent announcement by the State Government to ask some Independent Schools (not all) to pay payroll tax after a 40-year exemption reflects a misguided notion and lack of respect for the good we do, and the contribution Huntingtower makes to society. As our mission states, we work hard to be “a beneficial presence in the world, to uplift thought and bless mankind.” 

The payroll tax exemption recognised the valuable contributions and commendable work of Independent Schools as not-for-profit organisations within the Victorian community. The recent stance taken by the Victorian Government, however, suggests that they undervalue the services we provide. It is disheartening that they now propose levying payroll tax on the organisations who play a crucial role in delivering the cherished education we all value.  

We are assessing the impact of this new tax along with the other budget surprises. At this stage however, we don’t have all the information required to understand the full impact of the proposed changes.

If you would like to express your concerns directly to our local MP, I would encourage you to do this. Our local MP is Mr Matt Fregon and he can be contacted on 9561 0511 or matt.fregon@parliament.vic.gov.au 

I hope that the Government can find a reasonable outcome and I thank you for your support. Huntingtower will continue to keep our focus on offering the best education and care we can.

Mr Andrew Houghton

Principal