Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney has criticised NSW Education Secretary Murat Dizdar during the 2025 Catholic Schools NSW Education Law Symposium, responding strongly to comments Dizdar made on ABC’s Australian Story in April.
In the program, Dizdar questioned the ongoing necessity of non-government schools in New South Wales, suggesting that “the existence of private schools should be debated and discussed.”
Dizdar’s comments come after state schools reported a drop of 25,000 enrollments over the past three years, with the education secretary declaring he will be aiming to get those students back into the public system.
“He (Dizdar) could not be more wrong,” McInerney said, criticising Dizdar’s decision to raise the issue on national television rather than in a departmental meeting or a teachers’ conference.
McInerney wasn’t alone in his condemnation. Shortly after the program aired, Dizdar also received criticism from others working in the private school sector.
“It’s outrageously bad and very worrying for Catholic education,” McInerney said.
“He took the occasion, when the eyes and ears of the country were on him via the national broadcaster to raise this question for us.
“It’s a monopolistic provision of schooling in this state where all other providers in New South Wales under Murat’s vision are swept aside, done away with, and can’t exist.”
Although Dizdar issued a statement 36 hours later acknowledging the role of non-government schools, McInerney called it a “forced retreat.”
“He didn’t disavow his position, he said some calming, clarifying, and comforting words back into the public sphere,” McInerney said.
“When the most senior official of education in this state goes into the cabinet and gives advice on schooling in this state, he doesn’t think we should exist.”
McInerney said if all schools were to become public, not only would it displease parents looking for a faith-based education but would come at a cost of $5 billion each year to the taxpayer.
He said it would also negatively impact students of lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds as they are more likely to attend Catholic schools, offering higher retention rates than public schools.
He also said Catholic schools have increased their numbers and retention rates for Indigenous students, contributing to stronger post-school outcomes.
“This is what you risk when you have a monopoly provider of anything, much less school education—you are drawn down to the lowest denominator,” McInerney said.
“Whether its lower year students, First Nations students, the funding, the fiscal position of the budget, parental choice, under a monopoly provider all of these things are put at risk.”
McInerney’s comments come at the beginning of the Catholic Schools NSW Education Law Symposium, an annual conference for the state’s catholic teachers to listen to speakers, network, and gain insight into their field.
The speakers at the symposium included NSW Premier Chris Minns, Bishop Daniel Meagher, and NESA CEO Paul Martin, among others.
