Pyne calls on Rudd to ‘Scrap the Cap’

The Shadow Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne met with 16 members of the Scrap the Cap alliance today who are calling for the Rudd Government to reverse the introduction of a $2,000 cap on tax deductibility of self-education expenses.

The Scrap the Cap alliance is made up of 67 peak professional bodies such as Universities Australia, the Australian Nursing Federation and the Pharmacy Guild.

“The Rudd Government needs to scrap the cap because it was a bad policy decision adversely affecting hundreds of thousands of people,” Mr Pyne said.

“Federal Labor has commissioned a review of this decision just two months after the Budget was handed down, obviously realising it was a mistake,” he said. 

“With days before an election the Government needs to reveal how they will overturn this anti-productivity measure.  

“Labor’s changes mean teachers, nurses and others at the coalface in areas like health and education will struggle to afford the often necessary education courses in their profession required to maintain their accreditation and skills.

“The cap was introduced as part of $2.8 billion in higher education cuts to supposedly pay for the school education changes. In total, Labor is cutting $4.7 billion from education over the next four years.

“I am calling on the Government to scrap the cap. It was their mistake and they need to outline their plan to fix it,” Mr Pyne said.

25 July 2013

Scrap the Cap Alliance Members in attendance:

Universities Australia

Australian Professional Teachers Association

Australian Medical Association

Australian Council for Private Education and Training

Australian Veterinary Association

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia

General Practice Registrars Australia        

Law Council

Tax institute

Australian Dental Association

Architects Association

Australian Nursing Federation

Business South Australia

Optometrists Association Australia

Consult Australia

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry