Submissions
The AEU represents approximately 190,000 members across Australia, employed in government schools, public early childhood work locations, TAFE, Adult Multicultural or Migrant Education Service (AMES), and Disability Services centres as teachers, school leaders and education assistants or support workers.
The AEU takes an active role in public debates on education. We make submissions to inquiries that affect our members, and commission our own research into key issues in education. Below are our most recent publications, covering schools, TAFEs, early childhood education, and other issues.
2023
Submission to the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System - 7 August 2023
This submission will address the fundamental funding reforms necessary to restore equity to Australia’s schools and outline the essential drivers of effective whole systemic reform before providing detailed answers and case studies in response to each of the specific questions asked by the Review Panel in the Consultation Paper at Appendix 1.
Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care - 2 June 2023
The AEU believes that a high quality properly resourced public education system is the key to a more equitable and democratic society and a fundamental entitlement of all Australian children, regardless of their background, family income, circumstances or where they live.
Submission to the Australian Universities Accord Panel Discussion Paper - April 2023
This submission appropriately prioritises those matters arising from the discussion paper that are most relevant to our membership, particularly the members of the AEU TAFE Division.
Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Reference Committee Inquiry into The Issue of Increasing Disruption in Australian School Classrooms - 30 March 2023
This submission will seek to rectify the shortcomings of this Inquiry by addressing the litany of education policy failures over the last decade that have left Australian public schools without the resources they urgently need to meet the needs of students.
Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Current and Proposed Sexual Consent Laws in Australia - 16 March 2023
The AEU views gender equity as fundamental to a just society. We believe that the critical factor in achieving gender equity is systematic commitment to cultural change.
Submission to the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023 - 3 March 2023
This submission provides feedback as requested, specifically focussing on the impact for educators employed in public education institutions.
Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws Inquiry - 3 March 2023
The AEU campaigns for free, quality, and accessible public education, for the fair distribution of education funding, and in the pursuit of human and trade union rights including the elimination of discrimination against all students and all education workers.
Submission to the House Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training Inquiry into the Perceptions and Status of Vocational Education and Training - 1 March 2023
This submission begins by examining the pathways that young people often take in and out of vocational education, how their decisions are informed by socio-economic status and location and how students can be better supported in determining their post school pathway.
Submission to the Senate standing committees on community affairs inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia - 31 January 2023
This submission to the Senate standing committees on community affairs inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia is made on behalf of AEU members.
Pre-Budget submission to the Department of Treasury on priorities for the 2023-24 Federal Budget - January 2023
This submission makes the case that properly funding and resourcing public education, from the early years through schooling to post-secondary education is essential to fairness, equity, opportunity and security in this country.
2022
Submission to the Productivity Commission review into the National Agreement on Closing the Gap - 12 December 2022
This submission is relevant to all four priority reform areas in the current Closing the Gap strategy and includes a particular emphasis the socio-economic indicators 3 to 6 covering the educational pathway from Early Childhood Education, through school to vocational and tertiary education.
Submission to the The Treasury Consultation on the Employment White Paper - 30 November 2022
The AEU welcomes the opportunity to
provide input to the Employment White Paper and will specifically respond to Terms of
reference 3 to 5 on job security, fair pay and conditions, gender equity and skills and labour
force participation.
Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport Inquiry into Long COVID and Repeated COVID Infections - 18 November 2022
This submission will focus on the fourth of
the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, particularly the educational impacts of long COVID and
repeated COVID infections for both students and staff in Australia’s public education system.
Submission in response to to the Review of the National School Reform Agreement Interim Report - 24 October 2022
This submission is
made on behalf of AEU members across the country in response to the recommendations and
information requests made by the Productivity Commission in its Interim Report.
Submission to the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022 - 21 October 2022
The AEU supports increased subsidies for access and childcare as an essential service and
economic reform as outlined in the Bill “to support parents and carers, particularly women, in
their choice to enter the workforce or increase their workforce participation.
Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care - September 2022
This submission demonstrates that AEU members in all education sectors – from early
education, to schools, to post-secondary education in TAFE institutions – are experiencing the
most acute effects of Australia’s intersecting work and care crises.
Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into Carer Leave - 26 August 2022
In support of this reform, and in encouraging further reform to support carers, this submissiondraws attention to the gendered nature of caring arrangements and its impact on the AEU’s predominantly female membership, who are financially disadvantaged due to their gender.
Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Jobs and Skills Australia Bill 2022 and the Jobs and Skills Australia (National Skills Commissioner Repeal) Bill 2022 - 19 August 2022
This submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee is made onbehalf of AEU members across these crucial sectors.
Submission to the Productivity Commission Review of the National School Reform Agreement - 22 June 2022
This submission will address thefundamental requirements for public education in Australia as well as providing answers to
each of the four information requests made by the Productivity Commission.
Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into Australia’s productivity performance - March 2022
This submission identifies three education policy opportunities that would significantlyimprove Australia’s productivity.
Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry into the Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - March 2022
This submission will focus on two chapters that are of particular concern to the AEU. First it will consider Chapter 10 Professional services and recognition of professional qualifications, with a focus on the potential impact of the mutual recognition of professional qualifications between Australia and the UK for teachers.
Pre-Budget submission to the Department of Treasury on priorities for the 2022-23 Budget - January 2022
The AEU welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Employment White Paper and will specifically respond to Terms of reference 3 to 5 on job security, fair pay and conditions, gender equity and skills and labour force participation as they pertain to the concerns of the nearly 200,000 AEU members across Australia.
2021
Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry to the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and related bills - December 2021
This submission demonstrates that the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 (“RDB”) threatens the safety and wellbeing of AEU members, of students in public education settings, and of our colleague teachers and students in private education settings.
Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Job Security - 8 October 2021
This submission demonstrates that AEU members experience the broader Australian trend
away from secure, permanent employment and towards insecure work practices.
Submission to the Department of Education, Skills and Employment on the Review of Quality Initial Teacher Education - 23 July 2021
This submission will address each of the ten terms of reference in turn. It will also offer a number of recommendations for actions required to improve ITE and encourage the attraction and retention of high performing school graduates to the teaching profession.
Submission to the Reform of the Adult Migrant English Program - Discussion Paper - 14 July 2021
This submission answers all the questions set out in the Department of Home Affair’s discussion paper to the proposed AMEP reforms. It is informed by feedback and consultation with AEU members working in AMEP in TAFEs across the country.
Submission to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority on the Review of the Australian Curriculum for Foundation to Year 10 (F10) - 8 July 2021
This submission is made on behalf of all AEU members and on behalf of the AEU’s committee of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members Yalukit Yulendj. It is made in regards to the application of the Australian Curriculum for all teachers and students in Australia, but it should be noted that the AEU is the largest educational representative body for First Nations educators in the preschool, school and TAFE sectors in Australia.
Submission to the National Indigenous Australians Agency on the Indigenous Voice Co-Design process - 31 March 2021
The AEU welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission on the Interim report to the Australian Government’s Indigenous Voice Co-design process.
House Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training Inquiry into Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Problem-Solving Skills in Australia - 5 March 2021
In this submission, the AEU will demonstrate how many of the ‘reforms’, initiatives and assessment approaches of the last decade have damaged the literacy and numeracy of Australians.
Submission regarding the Automatic Mutual Recognition of Occupational Registrations: Exposure Draft Legislation - 12 February 2021
The Australian Education Union (“AEU”) makes this submission on behalf of its 195,000 members employed in public primary, secondary and special schools and the early childhood, TAFE and adult provision sectors as teachers, educational leaders, education assistants and support staff across Australia.
Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee inquiry into the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 - 5 February 2021
This submission focuses on the Bill’s reforms to casual employment and enterprise agreementmaking, reforms which will significantly affect AEU members in casual teaching roles in schools, Technical and Further Education (“TAFE”), disability day services, and early childhood education.
Pre-Budget Submission to the Department of Treasury on Priorities for the 2021-22 Budget - January 2021
This submission makes the case that properly funding and resourcing public education, from the early years through schooling to post-secondary education is essential to fairness, equity, opportunity and security in this country.
2020
Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Indigenous Cultural Competency in the Australian Teacher Workforce Consultation - 18 December 2020
The AEU supports The Uluru Statement and Voice. Treaty. Truth. Specifically, the AEU wishes to emphasise the importance of Truth-telling in schools through and in the curriculum and in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Submission to the Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation and Mitigation) Bill 2020 & Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation and Mitigation) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2020 27 - November 2020
The Australian Education Union (AEU) presents this submission on behalf of its 195,000 members who work in public education settings across the country.
Submission to the 2020 Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 25 - September 2020
The AEU welcomed the introduction of the Disability Standards for Education (the Standards) in 2005, particularly the intent that students with disability receive education on an equal basis to other students. We have welcomed the continued use of the Standards at each subsequent five year review and we now welcome the opportunity to contribute to this current review of the Standards.
Pre-Budget Submission to the Department of Treasury on Priorities for the 2020-2021 Budget - 24 August 2020
This submission supplements the AEU’s previous 2020-21 Pre-Budget submission, and focuses on the important and urgent need for investment in public schools, preschools and TAFE for Australia’s economic recovery, and the significant ongoing economic and social benefits that such an investment would bring.
Submission to the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence - 7 August 2020
This submission will outline the current deficiencies in the delivery of RRE in Australia. Further the submission will highlight the Victorian model as a successful case study to demonstrate effective implementation for delivery of RRE.
Productivity Commission National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development Review Interim Report - July 2020
The AEU notes that the Productivity Commission National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development Review Interim Report (the interim report) and its information request questions contain numerous assumptions about the inherent superiority of markets and contestability that set out a predetermined view of how vocational education should operate in Australia.
Submission to the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Australian Government’s Response to the COVID19 Pandemic - May 2020
This submission will address our views of the impact of the Australian Government’s response on each of the school, early childhood education and TAFE sectors separately. We will detail how the issues raised by the AEU were subsequently handled by the Commonwealth Government and describe the measures that could have, and could still be taken to ensure that public schools, early childhood education providers and TAFEs have the support necessary to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and to assist with Australia’s recovery.
Submission to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee on the Australian Education Amendment (Direct Measure of Income) Bill 2020 (Provisions) - March 2020
This submission will demonstrate these changes are neither fair nor fiscally responsible, give the Commonwealth unprecedented control over school funding arrangements without legislative oversight and that the proposed methodology for the calculation of parental Capacity to Pay (CTC) does not make use of the best and most accurate available data and will not serve to improve equity in the funding of Australian schools.
Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training Inquiry into the Education of Students in Remote and Complex Environments March - 2020
This submission will build upon the evidence presented in those previous submissions and will include a particular focus on the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students living in remote and complex environments.
Pre-Budget submission to the Department of Treasury on priorities for the 2020-21 Budget - January 2020
This submission makes the case that properly funding and resourcing education, from the early years through schooling to post-secondary education is essential to fairness, equity, opportunity and security in this country.
2019
Productivity Commission Inquiry into the Skills and Workforce Development Agreement - December 2019
This submission draws on the views of our membership, AEU policy and is also informed by our work with leading academics.
Submission to the Review of Senior Secondary Pathways into Work, Further Education and Training - December 2019
This submission will focus on the following factors: 1) Pathways for all senior secondary students from school and the resources available to school systems and to individual schools to help students choose their post school pathway 2) The need to improve the available pathways for students of low Socio-Economic Status (SES) backgrounds and from rural, regional and remote backgrounds 3) The impact of current vocational education policy on students who pursue vocational education during and after senior secondary school 4) The current available pathways into initial teacher education (ITE) and the need to ensure that those who undertake ITE are properly supported by tertiary institutions.
Submission to the National Youth Commission Inquiry into Youth Employment and Transitions - November 2019
This submission draws on the views of our membership, AEU policy and is also informed by our partnerships with leading academics. The submission expands on the two meetings between the Commission’s Co-Executive Officers and the AEU.
Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Committees Inquiry into the VET Student Loans (VSL Tuition Protection Levy) Bill 2019 - October 2019
AEU welcomes the opportunity to submit our view on the VET Student Loans (VSL Tuition Protection Levy) Bill 2019, and to provide some additional context for our position on this Bill.
Submission to the Education Council Review of the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians - June 2019
AEU strongly asserts that the Melbourne Declaration is an important and still valid document, and that the current focus of Education Council should be to ensure that the original and largely unfulfilled goals and priority areas for action detailed in the declaration are implemented, rather than subject to an unnecessary review.
