Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has defended his record as a supporter of public education after saying Sunday penalty rates should be maintained so low-income families can afford private schooling.
Mr Shorten on Monday said: "For people on $40,000 and $50,000 and $60,000 dollars a year, penalty rates are the difference as to whether or not they can afford to send their kids to a private school."
After his comments generated criticism from public school advocates, Mr Shorten said he was referring to low-fee Catholic schools in his Melbourne electorate - not high-fee private schools.
"The truth is a lot of Australians depend upon penalty rates - they depend upon the penalty rates to be able to afford the things in life which give them a chance to have aspiration and hope," Mr Shorten said on Tuesday.
"I was referring to the local Catholic schools, the primary schools in my electorate, where a lot of the parents there - both are working, both need the penalty rates.
"I can think of parents who work in aged care facilities on the night shift. They don't get to see their kids because they are earning enough money to pay the modest school fees of a Catholic school or to be able to afford the second-hand second car so mum and dad can get to work.
"Penalty rates, for a lot of people, make the difference between a quality of life and just being able to make ends meet."
Mr Shorten said there was a "myth" that only "people who serve coffee on a Sunday morning" rely on penalty rates.
Social commentator and public education advocate Jane Caro tweeted on Monday: "With @billshortenmp doing private school's marketing for them, all @TurnbullMalcolm needs do is sign up 4 full Gonski & he's got my vote."
With @billshortenmp doing private school's marketing for them, all @TurnbullMalcolm needs do is sign up 4 full Gonski & he's got my vote.— Jane Caro (@JaneCaro)
October 5, 2015
Mr Shorten on Monday tweeted: "There is no greater supporter of public schools than I only @AustralianLabor is backing #Gonski's needs-based funding for our schools."
There is no greater supporter of public schools than I - only @AustralianLabor is backing #Gonski's needs-based funding for our schools— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp)
October 5, 2015
Mr Shorten was educated at Xavier College, a prestigious Catholic school in Kew, in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
Greens workplace relations spokesman Adam Bandt said: "Forget about private school, without weekend rates many people couldn't pay the rent.
"We need well-funded public schools and well-paid workers.
"Going down the path of privilege is a losing strategy for Labor.
"If we start linking weekend rates to private schools, then we've lost the argument."
