Back to school costs hit hard in cost of living crisis

Media Release

1 February 2024

The high costs of sending kids back to school will be the focus of today’s Cost of Living Committee hearing in Brisbane. 

Despite the Prime Minister promising that life would “be cheaper” under Labor, the cost of education has risen almost 5 per cent since the Albanese Government came to power.

Today’s hearing will examine how the rising cost of living is impacting families, children, and teachers in the classroom as well. 

The Committee will hear evidence from several representative bodies for school principals, as well as P&C’s Qld, Australian Council of State School Organisations and the National Catholic Education Commission. 

Local organisations including the Queensland Council of Social Service, Roseberry QLD and Anglicare, will also provide evidence about how the cost of living is being felt in Queensland. 

Chair of the Cost of Living Committee, Senator Jane Hume said the rising cost of living is having a detrimental impact on the standard of living for Australian families. 

“Not only have we heard that Australians are struggling to put food on the table for their kids, I’ve also heard from parents who have had to cut back on their kids' extracurricular activities just to ensure they afford their mortgage repayments. 

“Families right across the country are having to make tough choices under Labor. They are frustrated that the Labor Government isn’t making their own tough choices to rein in spending.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from today’s witnesses about the types of things that they are seeing on the ground with how the cost of living is impacting kids in school and the broader Queensland community,” Senator Hume said. 

All Australians can share their stories of how the cost of living is impacting them by providing submissions to yourcostofliving.au.

Programs for the hearings are available here and an audio broadcast will be live here.