How 133 men will elect the next pope explained
church
Religion
Pope Francis
Pope
rome
VATICAN
Italy
Europe
World CONTACT US
Property News: The Perth suburbs where residents rarely leave.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Donald Trump to hike tariffs on India for buying Russian oil
'It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,' said a spokesman, citing US imports of uranium hexafluoride, palladium and fertilisers. 'Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.' This week is shaping up as a critical juncture for Trump's stalled efforts to mediate a conflict he once boasted he could end in 24 hours. The president's revised ultimatum gives Putin until Friday to sign up to a ceasefire or face additional sanctions, along with Russian trading partners. A student of Gurukul School of Art in Mumbai puts the finishing touches to his take on the relationship between Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit: AP Trump said his special envoy Steve Witkoff might travel to Russia on Wednesday or Thursday ahead of the deadline, and that Moscow would face sanctions if a ceasefire wasn't brokered by then – though he noted the Russians were 'wily characters, and they're pretty good at avoiding sanctions'. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said officials were always happy to meet with Trump's envoy, and that the Kremlin considered such talks important, substantive and useful. While Reuters reported last week that Indian oil refineries had hit pause on imports of Russian crude, by the weekend the Times and Bloomberg were reporting that no instructions to halt imports had been issued, and Russian tankers continued to arrive at India's state-owned refineries. India, a Quad partner of the US along with Australia and Japan, was hit with some of the highest US tariffs among major US trading partners, 25 per cent, when the revised levies were announced late last week. They do not take effect until August 7. While Trump has edged closer to imposing so-called secondary sanctions on Russia by targeting countries to which it sells oil, he has stopped short of embracing a Senate-led bill to impose 500 per cent tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil. The president has, however, threatened tariffs of 100 per cent, saying this would be sufficient. Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a key author of the Senate bill, welcomed Trump's latest threat. 'I appreciate your strong commitment to ending this bloodbath in Ukraine,' Graham said. 'Making those like India pay a price for their war profiteering is a good place to start.' In February, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi became one of the first foreign leaders to visit the White House after Trump's return to the presidency, but relations have strained somewhat since then. Loading 'People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil,' White House deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, told Fox News on Sunday. 'That's an astonishing fact.' Miller said India 'portrays itself as being one of our closest friends', but then listed numerous grievances, alleging India maintains unfair trade practices and cheats on immigration, as well as helping finance the Russian war effort in Ukraine. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what's making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
9 News
3 hours ago
- 9 News
Tesla hands the world's richest man a $44 billion payday
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Tesla has given Elon Musk a stock grant of $US29 billion ($44.79 billion) as a reward for years of 'transformative and unprecedented" growth despite a recent foray into right-wing politics that has hurt its sales, profits and its stock price. In giving its billionaire chief executive 96 million in restricted shares, the electric car company noted that Musk had not been paid in years because a Delaware court rejected his 2018 compensation package. The award comes eight months after a judge revoked the 2018 pay package a second time. Tesla has appealed the ruling. Elon Musk will wield more control of Tesla after being handed 96 million more shares in the company. He is pictured speaking at a conservative conference earlier this year. (AP) Tesla on Monday (Tuesday AEST) called the grant a 'first step, good faith' way of retaining Musk and keeping him focused, citing his leadership of SpaceX, xAI and other companies. Musk said recently that he needed more shares and control to stop activist shareholders from ousting him. 'Rewarding Elon for what he has done and continues to do for Tesla is the right thing to do,' the company said in a regulatory filing, citing an increase of $US735 billion in Tesla's value on the stock market since 2018. Tesla shares have plunged 25 per cent this year largely due to blowback over Musk's affiliation with US President Donald Trump. But Tesla also faces intensifying competition from both the big Detroit car makers, and from China. In its most recent quarter, Tesla reported that quarterly profits plunged from $US1.39 billion to $US409 million. Revenue also fell and the company fell short of even the lowered expectations on Wall Street. Investors have grown increasingly worried about the trajectory of the company after Musk had spent so much time in Washington this year, becoming one of the most prominent officials in the Trump administration in its bid to slash the size of the US government. Tesla vehicles at the company's store in Warminster, Pennsylvania, last month. (Bloomberg) The electric vehicle maker said in the regulatory filing that Musk must first pay Tesla $US23.34 a share of restricted stock that vests, which is equal to the exercise price per share of the 2018 pay package. In December, Delaware Chancellor Kathleen McCormick reaffirmed her earlier ruling that Tesla must revoke Musk's multibillion-dollar pay package. She found that Musk engineered the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. The rulings came in a lawsuit filed by a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk's 2018 compensation package. That pay package carried a potential maximum value of about $US56 billion, but that sum has fluctuated over the years based on Tesla's stock price. Musk appealed the order in March. A month later Tesla said in a regulatory filing that it was creating a special committee to look at Musk's compensation as CEO. Musk has been one of the richest people in the world for several years. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives feels Musk's stock award may alleviate some Tesla shareholder concerns. 'We believe this grant will now keep Musk as CEO of Tesla at least until 2030 and removes an overhang on the stock,' Ives wrote in a client note. 'Musk remains Tesla's big asset and this comp issue has been a constant concern of shareholders once the Delaware soap opera began.' Under pressure from shareholders last month, Tesla scheduled an annual shareholders meeting for November to comply with Texas state law. A group of more than 20 Tesla shareholders, which have watched Tesla shares plummet, said in a letter to the company that it needed to at least provide public notice of the annual meeting. finance World TESLA elon musk CONTACT US Auto news: Honda here to stay in Australia, announces growth plans.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Public schools lose almost 2000 students as Hunter parents go independent
in KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option. She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments. Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit. "We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said. "We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought." A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024. Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley. Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College. "We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said. "Our daughter just gelled straight away." Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be. Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities. "We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said. "We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school." The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget. The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee. A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School. "These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said. "With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023." According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family. "It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said. "We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said. "For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey." In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools. AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools. "There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said. Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year. Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs. "Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said. "There is literally an independent school to suit every family." Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent. Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal". "A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said. "In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education." Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021. In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually. Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar. "These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said. "Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors. "While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative." Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose". in KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option. She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments. Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit. "We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said. "We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought." A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024. Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley. Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College. "We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said. "Our daughter just gelled straight away." Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be. Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities. "We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said. "We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school." The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget. The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee. A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School. "These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said. "With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023." According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family. "It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said. "We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said. "For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey." In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools. AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools. "There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said. Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year. Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs. "Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said. "There is literally an independent school to suit every family." Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent. Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal". "A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said. "In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education." Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021. In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually. Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar. "These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said. "Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors. "While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative." Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose". in KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option. She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments. Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit. "We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said. "We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought." A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024. Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley. Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College. "We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said. "Our daughter just gelled straight away." Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be. Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities. "We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said. "We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school." The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget. The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee. A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School. "These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said. "With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023." According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family. "It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said. "We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said. "For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey." In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools. AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools. "There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said. Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year. Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs. "Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said. "There is literally an independent school to suit every family." Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent. Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal". "A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said. "In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education." Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021. In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually. Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar. "These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said. "Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors. "While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative." Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose". in KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option. She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments. Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit. "We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said. "We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought." A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024. Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley. Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College. "We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said. "Our daughter just gelled straight away." Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be. Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities. "We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said. "We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school." The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget. The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee. A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School. "These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said. "With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023." According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family. "It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said. "We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said. "For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey." In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools. AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools. "There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said. Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year. Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs. "Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said. "There is literally an independent school to suit every family." Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent. Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal". "A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said. "In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education." Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021. In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually. Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar. "These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said. "Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors. "While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative." Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose".
