ROBERT McCLELLAND MP
Member for Barton
DARYL MELHAM MP
Member for Banks
More than 14,500 local families with kids in school will benefit from a new cash bonus delivered by the Gillard Government, Robert McClelland and Daryl Melham said today.
“I know that with kids in school, it can be tough for parents to keep up,” Mr McClelland said.
“That’s why the Gillard Government is delivering a new Schoolkids Bonus to help local families make ends meet.”
Eligible local families will receive a total of $410 a year for each child in primary school, and $820 a year for each child in high school.
The Schoolkids Bonus will be paid in two instalments – before the start of Term 1 and Term 3 – to help pay for school costs such as uniforms, text books, stationery and school excursions.
It will replace the Education Tax Refund from 1 January 2013, and will be paid to the families of about 25,000 local kids in school.
Mr Melham said many local families couldn’t afford to wait until tax time to claim the Education Tax Refund.
“Some local families simply couldn’t wait months to get money back, and were missing out on the full amount they were entitled to,” Mr Melham said.
“This new payment means about 11,150 local families will get more cash,” he said.
“And about 2400 families in Barton and Banks didn’t claim the ETR at all last year – so they’ll get an extra $410 a year for each child in primary school and $820 for each high school student.
“The Schoolkids Bonus means parents will get extra support when they need it most. They will no longer have to pay first and then wait months to claim a refund at tax time,” said Mr Melham.
To help with the transition to the Schoolkids Bonus next year, the Federal Government will next month pay all eligible families in St George the full amount of the Education Tax Refund.
Mr McClelland said, “Local kids have just gone back to school for Term Two, and the costs for parents have already started piling up again.”
“By paying out the full refund next month, many families will receive an immediate boost to their budgets and won’t have to worry about that extra paperwork at tax time,” he said.
The Schoolkids Bonus will be available to local families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A plus young people in school receiving Youth Allowance, as well as some income support and veterans’ payments recipients.
Contact: Ella Barnett (McClelland) 02 9553 4111
Deborah May (Melham) 02 9774 2111
