I rise to congratulate Our Lady of the Sacred Heart school on their fete that was

held on the weekend. I was privileged to help open the fete with Father Dan Carroll and the principal, Mr John

O'Connor. Dozens and dozens of parents are involved with this event, which raises tens of thousands of dollars

for this important local parish school. At the fete I was overwhelmed by the number of parents, teachers and

members of the community who were confused and concerned about the cuts by this government to the Catholic

school sector in Australia.

I stand with Catholic Secondary Principals Australia and the work that they do, along with the Australian Catholic

Primary Principals Association, which have written to the minister calling on him to properly consult with the

sector:

The Catholic principals stand in solidarity with the Catholic education systems and they support system funding

and the co-responsibility that goes with it. Hence, Catholic school principals stand united with the broader

Catholic school community in the face of a deliberate strategy by the Government to undermine the system by

pitting principal against principal, school against school (evidenced by the misleading letters to each school and

the funding estimator website).

CaSPA and ACPPA want to make it clear that the tactic will not work.

We on this side of the chamber know the important work of local parish schools. We will continue to keep

fighting for their funding, unlike the government, which is trying to cut it.