Government keeps $20 million security promise
NAOMI LEVIN
SCHOOL levies for security are unlikely to go down despite the Federal Government reiterating its $20 million promise to fund school security.
As reported in The AJN in August last year when Kevin Rudd visited Sydney's Moriah College, Labor agreed to devote $5 million per year for four years to alleviate the burden that security costs place on schools.
Justice Stephen Rothman, co-chairman of the Coordinating Council of Jewish Day Schools, said while his organisation is grateful for the funding, $20 million "is never enough".
He said the main benefit is that Jewish schools should now be able to divert a greater percentage of school fees to education resources instead of security costs.
Justice Rothman added that the enormous cost of security means it is unlikely that the security levies -- a charge for security that comes in addition to regular school tuition fees -- could be abolished.
"This may not mean a reduction [in fees], but what it might do is prevent a significant rise in the cost of security as part of fees."
Last week Education Minister Julia Gillard said that the Federal Government intended to keep its election promise and would consult with the police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to decide how the $20 million should be allocated.
It is also understood that the Coordinating Council of Jewish Day Schools will soon discuss details of the legislation with representatives from Gillard's office.
"This $20 million is to work with schools who have particular needs and who are at particular risk to make sure that children are kept safe," Gillard told Sky News.
Her announcement was followed by a change of tack on this issue from the Opposition.
After senior ministers consistently refused to offer their party's support for the fund during the election, a Liberal minister last Friday offered conditional approval.
Shadow Justice Minister Christopher Pyne said he welcomed Gillard's $20 million promise but said the party would withhold full support until the Government releases more details.
"We welcome any additional funds that the Government is going to put into security at Jewish, Muslim and other schools ... but we would hate it to become a bureaucratic nightmare with bureaucrats traipsing around schools determining what was in and what was out in terms of security needs," Pyne told The AJN.
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