House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time School Fees SCHOOL FEES Mr PISONI House of Assembly Unley SCHOOL FEES Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:52): It is great to be back. My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. If the government framed last year's budget for families, why did it increase public school fees by $25 million, to an average of $561 per student? The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly Hartley Minister for Education and Child Development SCHOOL FEES The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:52): Can I ask the member for Unley to repeat in particular the first part of the question? Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: I am happy to do the whole lot. I know how much you will enjoy that, Madam Speaker. If the government framed last year's budget for families, why did it increase public school fees by $25 million, to an average of $561 per student? The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: The reason why I asked the member to repeat the question is that he does not make a lot of sense to me. You see— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —schools are empowered under a very clear policy and process to make decisions with their school community about the level of their fees. This is the great irony in the member's only policy position, which is school autonomy— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Point of order: the question was about school fees, and minimum school fees are mandated by the parliament. The minister is wrong. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I think you have answered the question yourself, member for Unley. Minister. The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Schools can increase fees, and there is a very clear way that they can do that. They have to do that by effectively polling their parent communities. This is what we get in a devolved and autonomous school system, something that the member opposite keeps asking for. David Gonski acknowledges that South Australia along with Victoria have our most devolved systems. This is a product of that. I trust our principals and our governing school councils to make the right decision that reflects the needs of those school communities. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order!