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SUBJECT

Taskforce on Reducing the Regulatory Burden on Business
ISCA made a submission to the taskforce set up by the Prime Minister to identify practical options for alleviating the compliance burden on business from Government regulation. ISCA's submission addressed the impact of government regulation on independent schools.

Inquiry into Commonwealth funding for schools
This submission focuses primarily on the independent sector’s views on the principles of Commonwealth funding for schools and how these principles apply in meeting the current and future needs of independent schools. Australian Government funding, in the form of general recurrent, capital and targeted funding, is crucial to the capacity of independent schools to meet the educational and pastoral needs of their students and for independent schools to contribute to ensuring all young Australians have access to quality schooling.  This funding is vital in improving choice for families in the school education of their children and ensuring diversity in education provision.

Review of National Competition Policy Arrangements
The submission covers two significant areas where the scope for genuine choice is adversely affected – policies on new non-government schools and support for students with disabilities. ISCA submits that the two distinct roles that State and Territory governments play in school education, as the owners and operators of public education systems on the one hand and as funding providers and regulators of growth for non-government schools on the other hand, constitute a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict of interest.  These arrangements impact on the efficiency of the domestic market for school education and reduce the capacity for Australian consumers (parents) to exercise choice in schooling for their children. The submission covers two significant areas where the scope for genuine choice is adversely affected – policies on new non-government schools and support for students with disabilities.

Minister of Education, Science and Training
(October 2003)

Board of Taxation
(September 2003)

Productivity Commission
(May 2003)

The Review of Teaching and Teacher Education
(May 2003)

Inquiry into Vocational Education in Schools
There has been an increase in the number of schools and students involved in VET in schools since 1997, with growth rates in the independent sector being much more marked than in other sectors. The growth of VET programs in independent schools has been facilitated principally by the availability of funds from Commonwealth government agencies. Most independent schools receive little or no financial support from state and territory governments. NCISA argues that VET in schools programs provide a valuable vehicle in providing choice and diversity in the pathways available to young people and in improving school retention rates. Continued access to financial support is essential for these programs to be offered at independent schools.

The Review of Teaching and Teacher Education
(October 2002)

National Office for the Information Economy, Broadband Advisory Group
(August 2002)

Senate Economics Reference Committee
(May, 2002)

In response to the increasing public debate about the rising costs of insurance, the Senate Economics References Committee called for an inquiry to look at the impact of cost increases in the areas of public liability and professional indemnity insurance for small business and community and sporting organisations.  The independent schools sector has equally been affected by rising costs in insurance in terms of availability and cost of insurance, contract exclusions, insurance excess, impact on school curriculum, and reallocation of resources away from teaching and learning, prompting NCISA to prepare a submission to the inquiry. 

Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee
(May, 2002)

Australian Multicultural Foundation
(April, 2002)

Religion, Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion in Contemporary Australia 

With support from the Commonwealth Government under its ‘Living in Harmony’ initiative, the Australian Multicultural Foundation is conducting a study of religion, cultural diversity and social cohesion in contemporary Australia. NCISA’s submission addresses one of the study’s subject areas, ‘Full-time and part-time religious and ethno-religious schools’. Nearly 95 per cent of independent schools in Australia have a religious affiliation. NCISA argues that these schools contribute positively to Australia’s development as a nation and represent a model of unity achieved through diversity.

Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner
(July 2001)

Draft Guidelines for the Implementation of the National Privacy Principles in Private Sector Organisations 

New national privacy legislation takes effect in December 2001. NCISA commented that the draft guidelines for the implementation of the national privacy principles in private sector organisations fail to recognise the special issues that arise in the relationship between schools, parents and students, particularly the nature of personal information collected and consent issues.

Committee of Inquiry
(December 2000)

Inquiry into the Definition of Charities and Related Organisations

NCISA argued that the existing definition of charities should be retained, or in some instances extended to meet community expectations and that independent schools should continue to be regarded as charities due to their dominant purpose being the advancement of education.

Department of Education Training and Youth Affairs
(November 2000)

Response to the Draft Disability Standards for Education

NCISA argued that the draft disability standards for education do not provide any further certainty or clarification of the concepts of unjustifiable hardship and reasonableness which would still need to be resolved through legal processes. NCISA believes that the standards would not lead to an improvement in service delivery for students with disabilities and that they should be available as guidelines rather than as legislated standards.

Senate Economics Legislation Committee
(November 2000)

Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (No. 8) 2000

This submission covers proposed changes in tax law in relation to non-profit sub entities, GST treatment of boarding school food, canteens and other situations relating to input taxed supplies made by schools.

Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education Legislation Committee
(November 2000)

Education Services for Overseas Students Legislation Package

Given that 60 percent of school level overseas students are enrolled at independent schools, NCISA argued that the economic benefits and international links and understanding created through international education are important to Australia and that existing exemptions that enable and encourage independent schools to take on overseas students without unreasonable administrative burden be preserved.

Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education Legislation Committee
(August 2000)

States Grants (Primary and Secondary Assistance) Bill 2000

NCISA regards the SES-linked funding arrangements as a much fairer and more equitable means of allocating Commonwealth funding for schooling than the Education Resources Index and supported the provisions contained in the Bill.