http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa...808-2rk7l.html

Interesting that they are encouraging new home building.

Sorry but I don't do house price discussions

I leave those to the 'experts'

I noted it because they're phasing out the grant for established houses altogether here in SA and only giving it to new builds.

People working in WA on a 457 visa will have to pay a $4000 fee for their children's education.

Interesting - presumably that includes those already there?

I suppose struggling families who can't afford to pay their electricity bills will be pointed toward those upgraded camp sites.

I know this is very incorrect of me but I can't look at that bloke without thinking of him sniffing chairs.

I had to google that - thanks

Sorry!

$4000 is a big ask especially if you have a couple of kids and hadn't budgeted for the fee's!

They should make only new 457 applicants pay so they can make the decision whether to come or not, making the ones already here pay is moving the goal posts a bit too much for my liking.

I agree.

I've read through several news reports on it now and nowhere that I can find does it specify so far whether its only going to affect new 457s, or existing ones as well

Home school them instead, then no fee.

In the speech he said that there are 8600 children who are here by 457 and that by introducing this fee it will raise $x million. That basically says it will be applied to those already here. The reason for it is the same as a bag load of other tax increases - public transport up significantly, electric and water up, land tax up 12.5%. The state are spending beyond their means while revenue is reducing. So taxes going up and new fees being introduced.

I'm here on a 457 with 2 children. I pay just as much in tax as any person here on PR or Citizenship (as a percentage of income of course). When it comes time to complete a tax return I am "Resident for tax purposes" which is fair enough, I earn here so I pay tax here. Now forgive me if I'm wrong but in my mind you pay taxes, the goverment uses said taxes for things like Schools, Police, Fire service etc. How they can say 457 visa holders are putting a strain on the education system is beyond me. We pay tax just like everyone else, our children should be entitled to an education just like everyone else. Seems to me the 457 is an easy win for the politicians to get the locals riled up. We'll see how WA fairs when 457 visa holders leave in their droves and the SKILLED positions they are filling can no longer be filled as easily.

Regards

John

You have my sympathies John, If it were me, with 3 kids I don't think I'd be able to just come up with $12k a year from post tax income, that's like a $20k pay cut. They should have telegraphed it and brought it in in a few years time to give people time to prepare.