Debates on school funding are often presented as a zero-sum game between different sectors. Yet, this paper argues, the fundamentals of the mixed model of school provision remain strong: parents value choice and the Australian taxpayer is much better off when non-government schools receive public funding. The authors calculate the savings from all Australian non-government schools, both Catholic and Independent, for the year 2023. 

The methodology adopts a two-step process which estimates the savings to government at present, and future savings that will be realised once all schools have transitioned to receiving their full funding entitlement under the funding formula in the Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth) (the AEA). 

The paper shows the savings to taxpayers would be $6.31 billion each year in recurrent funding. These savings include $2.04 billion for primary students and $4.27 billion for secondary students. Catholic schools make up $2.96 billion of these savings, and Independent schools $3.35 billion.