Cap on Self-education Expenses has been Abolished

The Treasurer, the Honourable Joe Hockey MP has announced today to permanently abolish the $2000 cap on self-education expenses.
The cap was originally proposed by the Labour Government earlier this year, generating widespread criticism and resulting in the formation of the #ScrapTheCap Alliance which included 90 peak bodies and associations representing more than 1.6million professionals. The Alliance was formed by the health industry and soon atttracted other professions.
Professional association have welcomed the announcement with General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) CEO  Amit Vohra saying, “We welcome Treasurer Joe Hockey’s announcement to #ScrapTheCap. "The $2000 cap on self-education expenses was an ill conceived hastily put together tax on learning that had broad implications for Australia’s productivity. "We commend the Coalition for reviewing this policy swiftly and abolishing it within their first 100 days.
“This campaign demonstrates the power that social media has to bring awareness to important issues and for developing a groundswell of support within the Australian community,” said Mr David Townsend, GPRA Board Director and developer of the #ScrapTheCap social media campaign and website.
The National President of Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Grant Kardachi, said the decision recognised the importance of continuing professional education and also the challenges that many people faced in meeting mandatory levels of annual continuing education.
“PSA fought hard to have this plan scrapped and our concerns, along with the concerns of other professional organisations, have been recognised and acted upon,” Mr Kardachi said. “The Government must provide incentives and support for pharmacists and other professionals to undertake educational activities to further expand their knowledge and provide better healthcare for the public we serve, rather than impose barriers to further education.
“For the pharmacy profession, as with other professions in rural and remote settings, there are difficulties for pharmacists attending educational events.“Women would also have been particularly hard hit in the pharmacy profession as many work part time but still need to meet the annual mandatory continuing professional educational requirements to gain registration and to practise as pharmacists." About two thirds of the pharmacy workforce are women, often with young families and working part time.”
 Mr Kardachi said the decision to scrap the plans was recognition that in effect it would have been an unfair tax on a captive group of professionals who must by law complete continuing education to maintain their professional registration.
 
PSA was a member of the Scrap the Cap Alliance, which had more than 60 member organisations covering more than 1.6 million professionals, including universities, pharmacists, nurses, engineers, accountants, lawyers, veterinarians, doctors, allied health professionals, and small business operators