THE FEDERAL BUDGET:

PRIVATE CHURCH SCHOOLS THE WINNERS BY FAR

This is thesubstance of a letter sent to the Media:

The written and spoken media have been silent about one of the most outstanding revelations in the Federal Budget Papers. This continues the cover up of the enormous power of the Church School faction in the Body Politic. One would have thought by reading , watching and listening to the media that defence and higher education were the big winners in the budget handouts.

Not so! Far from it indeed! The private church schools won the funding race by a country mile. Consider the following comparative figures:

Between 2002/03, and 2006/7 a four year comparison reveals that of the large money items in the budget private schools clearly win the funding  stakes with a 36.5%  increase.

Compare this 36.5% increase for the church school interest with the following comparative increases :

Defence 18.2%

Hospital Services and Health Care: 24.1%

Pharmaceutical Services and Benefits: 24.3%

Total Health: 21.3%

Social Security: 19.2% and

Higher Education: 26.9%

Public Schools: 23.7%

In shere money terms taxpayers are now looking by 2006/7 $8 billion State and Federal Funding per annum in direct funding alone.

In Federal per capita comparisons for 2006/7 private church schools will receive $5,194 per pupil whilst public pupils are promised only $1,173.

DOGS predictions in 1973 that the Church would invade the Public Treasury and that one church, using its membership as a power block would wring out from the public staggering amounts of money has come to pass.