LOCAL SCHOOLS TO MISS OUT ON SNOWY CASH

More than 50 Catholic and independent schools in Gippsland will be excluded from receiving any of the proceeds from a new State Government program, according to The Nationals Member for Gippsland Province Peter Hall.

Mr Hall, who is The Nationals Education Spokesman, has criticised the Bracks Government for its decision which he says discriminates against several local schools.

"When the Bracks Government announced it was selling its share of Snowy Hydro, it offered a sweetener to the community by saying that $600 million would be put into a fund to improve schools throughout Victoria," Mr Hall said.

"But when you read the fine print, it becomes apparent that all Catholic and independent schools in East Gippsland, South Gippsland, West Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley will be excluded from receiving any of the money.

"It is a ridiculous decision which discriminates against almost one-third of Victorian schools in the non-government sector."

Mr Hall said the Snowy Hydro scheme was owned by all Victorians and it made sense that all Victorians should benefit from the windfall gains when it was privatised.

"Having made the decision to sell-off this public asset, it is mean-spirited of Melbourne Labor Ministers to prevent any non-government schools in our region from benefiting from the cash windfall," Mr Hall said.

"In the Gippsland Province electorate, there are many Catholic schools in particular which are in need of major improvements.

"The decision seems to be based on a misconception that only rich kids from rich families attend non-government schools. That is simply not the case in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley.

"Families choose to send their children to non-government schools for a variety of reasons and the savings to the State Government are more than $1.2 billion per year.

"This decision to discriminate against Catholic and non-government schools by refusing them access to any of the proceeds from the sale of Snowy Hydro makes a complete mockery of the Bracks Government's claims to 'govern for all Victorians'.

"It is unfair to exclude these schools from receiving any of the proceeds from the sale of a major public asset. The funding should be applied on a needs basis and there are many needy schools in our region which should benefit from this program."

Media contact: Peter Hall's office (03) 5174 7066