- Cook Labor Government investing $2.4 million to help WA families experiencing cost-of-living pressures cover the cost of school camps
- More than 560 WA public schools eligible to apply for cost discounts for their camps, subject to booking availability
The Cook Labor Government today announced important cost-of-living relief for Western Australian families of school-aged children who are most in need of support, with $2.4 million made available to help with the cost of public school camps.
More than 560 WA public schools are expected to be eligible to apply for a discount on camps run by the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) or the Department of Education (DoE), with funding to be targeted at WA public schools in areas with families who are more likely to be experiencing cost-of-living pressures.
Funding of $1.5 million has been allocated to the DLGSC for the costs associated with its school camp subsidy program.
DLGSC manages five recreation camps, including four in greater Perth and one in Albany.
An additional $896,000 will be provided for a similar fee waiver program for DoE camps. This includes the Broome Camp School, as well as the leased camp sites operated by Fairbridge Western Australia Inc. located in Point Peron, Geraldton, Dampier, Kalgoorlie, and Pemberton.
The discount will be applied to overnight accommodation charges and applicable program costs.
Eligible schools will book as normal and the discount willl be applied at the conclusion of the camp stay.
Schools with the lowest Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) will be eligible for the camp discount.
The discount will also be applied to eligible schools that have already made a booking.
The school camp discounts build on more than $1.1 billion in cost-of-living measures being delivered by the State Government to support WA families this year, including the WA Student Assistance Payment that was made available to every family of school-aged children, the significantly increased Secondary Assistance Program, boosting KidSport vouchers to $500 per eligible child, and free VacSwim lessons and museum entry over the upcoming summer school holidays.
Other State Government initiatives delivering cost-of-living relief to WA households include the $700 Household Electricity Credit, free public transport for school students and on Sundays, and boosting the Regional Pensioner Travel Card.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"Easing cost-of-living pressures is an important part of my Government's plan to support WA families.
"School camps are an important opportunity for students to step outside of their usual environment, develop a connection to nature, and push their boundaries with new experiences.
"We know school camps provide the kinds of experiences that often shape young people's lives, which is why we are providing $2.4 million to reduce the cost for eligible schools and ensure more students get the opportunity to attend their camp and build lasting memories.
"Raising my kids in Kwinana, I know it's those extra costs during the school years that can really have an impact - and this targeted support is just the latest initiative being delivered by my Government to help alleviate some of those pressures."
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"School camps provide opportunities for young people to challenge themselves and enjoy activities that improve physical and mental health.
"This additional funding from the Cook Labor Government will ensure more Western Australian students will get to experience the joy of attending a school camp.
"Subsidising camp costs for students at schools with a lower socio-educational advantage means students don't have to miss out because of current cost-of-living pressures impacting families."
As stated by Education Minister Dr. Tony Buti:
"This additional funding for school camps will have a lasting, positive impact on student achievement both inside and outside of the classroom.
"School camps are undertaken to further students' learning, skills, and social development outside of the school setting.
"They support the learning that is happening in the classroom and provide students with hands-on, practical and fun experiences."
