Revised school chaplaincy funding arrangements labelled 'arrogant and disgraceful' by High Court challenger

Updated

Ron Williams, the Queensland father who fought and won both High Court challenges against the school chaplaincy program, says he may challenge the program for a third time now the Federal Government has tweaked its approach to the funding.

The Government has asked the states and territories to administer the $244 million scheme, after the High Court ruled it was unconstitutional for the Commonwealth to continue funding it.

Mr Williams has slammed the moves to reroute the funding and is calling for a senate inquiry into the program.

"I think it's all pretty disgraceful, the callous arrogance being displayed by the Federal Government on this," he told AM.

"They seem to regard it as some bizarre kind of game of whack a mole or something that every time the High Court makes a decision, the next part in the game is to try to circumvent it."

Mr Williams wants to see the detail of the funding arrangements, but he says if he can see a way, he will challenge the program for a third time.

"The entire program has wafted across the past seven years on rhetoric and anecdote and has never been subjected to any scrutiny whatsoever," he said.

In June, the court upheld a challenge to the National School Chaplaincy Program, saying providing funding directly to chaplaincy organisations was constitutionally invalid.

The Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Scott Ryan, said the High Court found the Commonwealth could not directly fund the program in schools.

To get around this, Senator Ryan will write to the states and territories, asking them to administer the funds instead.

If they agree, the $244 million program — to run over four years — will remain open to chaplains of any faith as long as they do not attempt to convert students.

At least two states are keen, but other jurisdictions say they will not be taking up the offer because the funding is only for religious chaplains, not secular social workers.

States divided on inclusion of secular workers

Western Australia and Queensland have already put up their hand for a share of funds for the program.

Both state governments already supply their own state funding towards school chaplains.

West Australian Education Minister Peter Collier says his government will cooperate with the Federal Government's proposal.

"The issue as far as the federal funding was concerned was always a technical issue. I'm just pleased that the Federal Government has continued their commitment to fund it and we will cooperate wherever possible to ensure that the chaplaincy program continues to be provided in Western Australian schools," he said.

We will be happy to negotiate with the Commonwealth but have no interest in administering the scheme unless the schools have choice for a secular welfare or counsellor. ACT Education Minister Joy Birch

"At the moment we have chaplains in around 600 of our 800 public schools and that's testament to the high regard that they are held in by the school communities throughout the state."

Queensland Education Minister John Paul Langbroek says he is satisfied with the funding condition that chaplains are not allowed to try to convert students.

"There are strict rules in place to ensure that chaplains don't evangelise. It is important to acknowledge the work that chaplains do in schools, and the support that they provide to our students is invaluable," he said.

The Federal Government has reiterated that school chaplaincy funding is only for religious workers, not secular social workers. In some parts of Australia, that could see the program stall.

ACT Education Minister Joy Birch says schools should have a choice.

"We will be happy to negotiate with the Commonwealth but have no interest in administering the scheme unless the schools have the choice for a secular ... counsellor," Ms Birch said.

"If the Commonwealth Government was serious about empowering schools and empowering local decision-making of schools, this should apply to the funding opportunities open to schools.

"That means that if a school chooses a secular appointment, that should be supported by state and territory governments and Commonwealth governments."

South Australian Education Minister Jennifer Rankine also says she will only consider the program if the Federal Government backs down and allows secular social workers to be funded.

Topics: community-and-society, religion-and-beliefs, schools, public-schools, education, government-and-politics, federal-government, courts-and-trials, australia

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