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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2098 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

On the surface, the concept of voluntary contributions has an appealing simplicity, but, in the full reality of school operations and financing, the picture is really quite complex. Each school and its parents and citizens association has its own approach to raising the funds. Every school spends its money in different ways to provide an even greater range of interesting educational opportunities. It is easy to say that, but I want to emphasise, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, that this difference between schools is a very important reality in the ACT. When we discuss voluntary contributions, or any other aspect of schooling for that matter, we must keep that difference in the front of our minds. It is a quite complex business indeed. The main reason for this is that, in the ACT, we celebrate the autonomy of our schools. We believe that our schools have the capacity to manage their own affairs within the broad parameters set by government. It is a normal and sensible thing, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, for schools to seek to improve their learning and teaching environment, and to seek funds from parents to achieve this. These funds permit schools to respond with greater flexibility to the needs of their students. The mix of activities on which voluntary contributions might be spent is varied and complex.

What is much more important is that the way schools, students and parents go about raising these funds is also varied and complex. How they raise their funds depends on the traditions and circumstances at each school, and the prevailing views of the people making the decisions there. For example, many schools have a tax deductible library fund; others run fetes or hold the dreaded lamington drive or other fundraising activities. Some schools collect a general voluntary contribution but seek additional contributions for specific events, such as excursions, or for consumable materials in certain elective subjects.

I am sure that most people in this Assembly already have some knowledge of how schools raise money. This is not new to them. But I would encourage them to keep this real set of differences in mind when we are considering the how, when, where and why of schools asking parents to give more money to further enhance their children's education. School communities do differ in their willingness and ability to make voluntary contributions. The Government encourages parents to contribute to their children's education. However, the Government would not direct parents to make such contributions. They are, as the name implies, entirely voluntary. We should be careful that our actions in this place do not unintentionally discourage parents from making contributions, nor schools from undertaking fundraising.

However, earlier this year, a survey by the Council of P and C Associations showed that some schools and colleges had not been making the voluntary nature of parent voluntary contributions explicit. Principals have been directed to review their literature and practices to remedy this shortcoming. The Government is concerned to ensure that students are not discriminated against because their parents have chosen not to make the voluntary contribution. I have directed that appropriate measures be taken to ensure that any discriminatory practices are removed. I have also asked that the policy statement on voluntary contributions be reviewed to remove any ambiguity.

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