Public School Fees

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Education. Why did the minister feel it was necessary for a letter to go from the minister and the Premier to all families in addition to information they received from their schools explaining the very things the minister outlined in his last answer about what families would need to do?

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (14:23): I thank the member again for the question. This was a very important announcement. As I said in my last answer, the public education system in South Australia is vast. There are something like 170-odd thousand students in the public education system. There are lots of families and, in some families, multiple children. As I said, some hadn't paid their school fees yet.

The process for them, in terms of the materials and services charge, was going to be quite straightforward. For those who had already paid the materials and services charge, the process was a little bit more complicated. I guess it was done out of an abundance of caution and to make sure that everyone was aware of this and to make sure of course, too, that everybody who had already paid their school fees was still able to take advantage of the $100 per child.

As the member for Morialta stated in his question before, those who hadn't paid the school fees or the materials and services charge didn't actually need to take any action, those who did would possibly need to discuss with the local school how to get a reimbursement or discuss with the local school how that $100 per child could perhaps be deducted from the cost of something else. To make sure that was understood by families, and that as many—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Flinders! Member for Unley!

The Hon. B.I. BOYER: —South Australian families as possible could take advantage of this fantastic cost-of-living initiative that we have put in place, we also sent a letter from the Premier and the minister.