The amount of money handed out to private schools in this country is indefensible. Government schools struggle with inadequate funding while the exclusive wealthy schools receive more than they should. It is a policy that has never been adequately justified, because it never can be.

As far as the teaching of religious doctrine is concerned, there is too much of it and I largely agree with what Jane Carow had to say in the video. Indoctrination of young kids pretty well guarantees a flock member for life. Teach the same children about various religions with no intention to indoctrinate and then let them make up their own minds as to whether they will join a flock and your chances of them becoming a lifelong member are greatly reduced. Proselitising and indoctrination are not roles the school should play. Comparative religious instruction is a very different and necessary thing. And worlds apart from what currently goes on in our schools.

I have no idea of the State you reside in Ditch.

Many of the private primary schools within the State in which I reside missed out on their state government funding ten years ago that both schools and parents were lobbying, in order to improve services for the disabled. This was repeated years later until a change in government produced a more positive outcome, that of, a small portion of funding which was granted to government schools.

Regardless of government funding, and the fact that a good percentage of the children were from non-religious backgrounds, the private schools raised revenue via their fetes, walkathons, trivia nights, raffle tickets and chocolate drives to ensure services for the disabled were upgraded.

The state primary school my daughter attended during her first few years were granted funding by the government for every service erected and completed. Similarly there are children from many religious backgrounds educated within State government schools.

The main outcome for any school is that services are met across the board for all children.

Regarding religious teachings within schools, given this is the main thread issue, as I stated previously, religious teachings within State schools should be omitted [in other words, taught at home].

Parents of children who wish to further teach their children religiously, continue or renew their childrens faith, can do so within their own religious educational environment ie private schools.

I'm from NSW. I agree with you in the teaching of religion at school as I said in my posts.

There is a considerable effort put into fund raising in public schools here by the P&C Association. My wife was heavily involved, including as P&C President and committee member at Ryde East, Hornsby Girls and Normanhurst Boys. The main objection to private school funding is that their relative wealth level, derived from expensive fees, only adds to the wealth gap with the public system. Why add more when they are already less in need?