Media release
Shadow Minister for Education, Senator for Victoria, Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson
A Dutton Coalition Government will deliver up to a $22 million, six-month funding boost to support South Australian non-government schools offering a mid-year Reception intake.
This temporary injection will assist up to 3,140 students through the final six months of 2025, while a long-term funding solution is developed. Funding will be delivered at a rate equivalent to the 80 per cent Commonwealth share of the average per-student Schooling Resource Standard in South Australian non-government primary schools.
Shadow Minister for Education, Sarah Henderson, said the Coalition would stand firmly behind parents and protect school choice.
“Unlike Labor, we back families and their right to choose an education which reflects their values and beliefs,” Senator Henderson said.
“Labor’s last-minute ‘quiet fix’ is a sham. In 2024, Labor axed mid-year Reception funding for non-government schools, demonstrating its contempt for the Catholic and Independent school sectors in South Australia.”
“Thirty-seven per cent of students attend non-government schools across Australia, and the sector is growing — especially low-fee and faith-based schools.
South Australia has a proud tradition of mid-year Reception intake, with about one in four children benefitting from an extended 18-month program — crucial for younger students or those needing extra support.
Analysis by the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools shows students who start in mid-year Reception perform better in Year 1 Phonics screening and Year 3 NAPLAN results across all domains.
“Whether it’s axing mid-year Reception funding, attacking the freedoms of faith-based schools or targeting tax-deductible school building funds, the Albanese government has sought to actively discriminate against the non-government school sector,” Senator Henderson said.
A Dutton Coalition government has made clear we will match, dollar-for-dollar, all new school funding agreements between the Commonwealth and the states and territories.