The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) aims to be a national voice for equitable access to education in rural and remote Australia – and is preparing to bring its delegation to Federal Parliament in Canberra.
The ICPA’s delegation is meeting with MPs across all major parties in Canberra, 9-11 October, and hopes their lived experience and modest reform requests will be met with serious consideration and action. Their mission is to secure essential reforms to alleviate the financial pressures on families and incentivise much-needed workforce development, particularly in early childhood education.
With rising costs and diminishing support, this delegation will place a spotlight on issues that deeply
affect rural families’ education accessibility and the sustainability of early childhood services.
“Rural and remote families are being crippled by outdated policies and support structures that simply don’t reflect the reality we face. We’re paying inflated boarding fees due to an unfair tax system, while the Basic Boarding Allowance hasn’t kept pace with rising costs, which was meant to cover 55 per cent of those fees, now barely scratches the surface,” says ICPA Federal President Louise Martin.
“We are here in Canberra to demand reform – access to education is a right, not a luxury, and families in the bush shouldn’t have to choose between debt and education for their children.”
Relieving the financial burden
Established in 1971, ICPA is a voluntary, not-for-profit, apolitical parent body dedicated to ensuring equity of access to education for all students who live in rural and remote Australia. For the first time, ICPA is calling on the Federal Government to overhaul the Fringe Benefits Tax and GST on education-related expenses to relieve the financial burden on families in rural and remote Australia.
“This isn’t charity; it’s parity. Research shows families are paying up to $2,000 extra per student each year due to the FBT, all while living costs keep rising. These are the very families feeding the nation, yet they struggle to feed their own. It’s time for fair treatment—not policies that push them into financial hardship,” Martin says.
The ICPA is also pushing for immediate action to address the critical shortage of Early Childhood educators in rural areas, with Martin stressing that rural communities are on the brink of collapse without adequate staffing to support young children’s development:
“The pay disparity between rural and metropolitan early childhood educators is disgraceful. We’re asking these educators to do more for less, in regions that desperately need them. Without financial incentives to attract and retain qualified staff in remote areas, our children will be left behind, and the cycle of disadvantage will continue,” she says.
“ICPA is determined to ensure every rural and remote child has access to the education they deserve.”
