The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the existing National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program with the National School Chaplaincy Programme. A total of $243.8 million will be spent on this programme over 4 years with the new programme commencing on 1st January 2015. Currently public schools can utilise funding to employ a social welfare worker. Under the current scheme, schools can employ a non-religious welfare worker. Under the proposed new scheme schools can only employ chaplains ie. someone with a religious leaning.

Australian Public Schools are universal, secular and free. The creation of this new programme blurs the separation of church and state. As a parent I have chosen to send my children to a public school for many reasons. One of these is for my children to be educated in an environment where religious teachings are done on an opt in basis. The employment of School Chaplains threatens this position.