- Cook Labor Government investing $2.4 million to help
WA families experiencing cost-of-living pressures cover the cost of school
camps
- More than 560 WA public schools eligible to
apply for cost discounts for their camps, subject to booking availability
The
Cook Labor Government today announced important cost-of-living relief for Western
Australian families of school-aged children who are most in need of support,
with $2.4 million made available to help with the cost of public school camps.
More
than 560 WA public schools are expected to be eligible to apply for a discount
on camps run by the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural
Industries (DLGSC) or the Department of Education (DoE), with funding to be
targeted at WA public schools in areas with families who are more likely to be
experiencing cost-of-living pressures.
Funding of $1.5 million has been allocated to the DLGSC
for the costs associated with its school camp subsidy program.
DLGSC manages five recreation camps, including four in
greater Perth and one in Albany.
An additional $896,000 will
be provided for a similar fee waiver program for DoE camps. This includes the
Broome Camp School, as well as the leased camp sites operated by Fairbridge
Western Australia Inc. located in Point Peron, Geraldton, Dampier, Kalgoorlie, and
Pemberton.
The discount will be applied to overnight accommodation
charges and applicable program costs.
Eligible schools will book as normal and the discount
willl be applied at the conclusion of the camp stay.
Schools with the lowest Index of Community
Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) will be eligible for the camp discount.
The discount will also be applied to eligible schools
that have already made a booking.
The school camp discounts
build on more than $1.1 billion in cost-of-living measures being delivered by
the State Government to support WA families this year, including the WA Student
Assistance Payment that was made available to every family of school-aged
children, the significantly increased Secondary Assistance Program, boosting KidSport
vouchers to $500 per eligible child, and free VacSwim lessons and museum entry
over the upcoming summer school holidays.
Other State Government
initiatives delivering cost-of-living relief to WA households include the $700
Household Electricity Credit, free public transport for school students and on
Sundays, and boosting the Regional Pensioner Travel Card.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"Easing
cost-of-living pressures is an important part of my Government's plan to
support WA families.
"School camps are an important opportunity for students to step
outside of their usual environment, develop a connection to nature, and push
their boundaries with new experiences.
"We know school camps provide the kinds of experiences that
often shape young people's lives, which is why we are providing $2.4 million to
reduce the cost for eligible schools and ensure more students get the
opportunity to attend their camp and build lasting memories.
"Raising my kids in Kwinana, I know it's those extra costs
during the school years that can really have an impact - and this targeted
support is just the latest initiative being delivered by my Government to help alleviate
some of those pressures."
Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"School camps provide opportunities for young people to challenge
themselves and enjoy activities that improve physical and mental health.
"This additional funding from the Cook Labor Government will ensure more
Western Australian students will get to experience the joy of attending a
school camp.
"Subsidising camp costs for students at schools with a lower
socio-educational advantage means students don't have to miss out because of current
cost-of-living pressures impacting families."
Comments attributed to Education Minister Dr. Tony Buti:
"This additional funding for school camps will have a lasting, positive
impact on student achievement both inside and outside of the classroom.
"School camps are undertaken to further students' learning, skills, and
social development outside of the school setting.
"They support the learning that is happening in the classroom and provide
students with hands-on, practical and fun experiences."
