Joint media release
Shadow Treasurer, Hon Angus Taylor MP
Shadow Minister for Education, Senator the Hon Sarah Henderson
The Albanese Government must immediately rule out the abolition of tax-deductible donations for religious education in schools.
The government’s silence over a Productivity Commission recommendation to abolish deductible gift recipient (DGR) status for special religious education is deeply concerning for families of faith who send their children to a government school.
The recommendation is included in the Productivity Commission’s Future Foundations for Giving report released yesterday, the day before it was to be disclosed to the Coalition under freedom of information.
It is estimated at least half of all faith-based Australian families including those of Catholic, Jewish and Muslim faith send their children to a government school.
“While Labor has ruled out abolishing school building funds, there is stony silence over the vital role that public donations play in funding religious education programs in government schools,” Shadow Minister for Education, Sarah Henderson said.
“Thousands of Australian families rely on specialist religious education at government schools which would be at risk if this callous recommendation was adopted.”
“Whether a family is of Catholic, Jewish, Muslim or Hindu faith, it is vital the government supports parental choice and the right of children to receive specialist religious instruction no matter where they go to school.”
“Given Labor’s many broken promises, the Coalition remains concerned that tax-deductible donations for school building, library and scholarship funds which benefit the government and non-government sector are also at risk.”
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said the Productivity Commission’s recommendations reflected an ideological attack on faith-based charities.
“At a time when Labor is taxing Australians at record levels, Jim Chalmers’ own review is calling to increase taxes,” Mr Taylor said.
“This is a cynical, political, and divisive proposal from a government which has spent years dividing Australians with ideological distractions.
“Rather than address cost-of-living, Labor is focused on attacking religious education and faith-based charities.”