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.

2021


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.

This submission includes evidence from world experts in assessment, who reach the striking conclusion that “the design and execution of the 2018 NAPLAN make it so flawed that its results are of very limited use to students, parents, and schools”.

The AEU believes the proper funding of public education through a needs-based, sector-blind model that incorporates the full Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) provides the basis for fairness and equality of opportunity in education.

Australia needs a high quality, well-resourced and trusted TAFE sector. Public vocational education is every person’s right, and TAFE holds a particularly important role in the lives of people throughout their working lives.

2018


The current status of the teaching profession needs to be urgently supported and improved. In this submission numerous and specific recommendations for action to address a range of current shortcomings haave been provided.

Updates a number of AEU submissions that are relevant to the SA TAFE inquiry as they provide evidence of the damaging effects of poorly conceived government policy, in particular the pre-occupation of federal, state and territory governments with market design and competition policy; and of funding and resourcing neglect.

2017


Argues that properly funding and resourcing education, from the early years through schooling to post-secondary education in the VET and tertiary sectors, is essential to fairness, opportunity and security in this country.

AEU response to the Federal Government's Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian schools.

The AEU shares insights gained from members on the issues that confront students in non-metropolitan areas.

2016


AEU response to the Productivity Issues paper of June 2016 following a reference by the Federal Treasurer arising from the Federal Government's response and support for the recommendations contained in the Final Report of the Competition Policy Review and in particular the role of the Productivity Commission in assessing the utility of markets or market mechanisms in the provision of human services.

AEU Response to the ideas presented in the Redesigning VET FEE-HELP Discussion Paper on reforms to the scheme

AEU response to the public consultation on transparency of Higher Education Admissions process and in particular the provision of courses of Initial Teacher Education by Higher Education Institutions

Joint submission by the Australian Education Union (AEU), Independent Education Union (IEU) and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

Addressing poor quality assessment across the VET system is of little value if it is not accompanied by policies to address the systemic undermining of quality VET and to rebuild high quality public TAFE institutes.

AEU Pre-Budget Submission for the 2016-2017 Budget

2015


Outlines the current issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and makes recommendations that could improve their educational opportunities.

This submission deals with the state of disability education in Australia and the challenges faced by students with disability and their families as a result of inadequate levels of support.

This submission deals with the issue of electoral education and makes recommendations on how best to provide a comprehensive civics education which includes electoral education.

This submission outlines the AEU's opposition to the Abbott Government's Fairer Paid Parental Leave Amendment Bill 2015.

This submission outlines the current crisis facing students with disability and makes recommendations regarding current funding and other arrangements.

This submission details the AEU response to the COAG Regulation Impact Statement detailing proposed options for changes to the National Quality Framework in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector.

​This submission argues that the 2015-16 Budget must build the capacity of preschools, schools and TAFEs to deliver excellent outcomes for all students, which is fundamental to equity, social cohesion and future economic prosperity.

This submission outlines the AEU’s opposition to the Abbott Government’s plans to de-regulate university fees, and cut university funding.

This submission updates the evidence the AEU presented to previous parliamentary inquiries into the VET system and recommends an end to the privatisation of TAFE, and increased investment in the sector.

​This submission deals with aspects of the practical operation of the Workplace Relations Framework and its impact on the working lives of our members.

2014


​This submission outlines the AEU’s views concerning the findings and recommendation of the Review Panel in relation to the extension of competition principles to the provision of human services, the application of the competitive neutrality principle, and various employment-related matters.

This submission focusses on the major aspects of the Bill which, if implemented unamended, will impact on both our current and prospective members and the teaching profession.

This submission outlines the AEU’s significant concerns with many of the recommendations and implementation strategies in the Forrest Review’s Creating Parity report.

This submission argues that cuts and changes in the 2014 Budget will have significant direct and indirect negative impacts on our members, their workplaces, the young children and students with whom they work, their families and the communities they work in.

This submission details the AEU’s opposition to any attempt to trade-off quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for the short-term financial gains of for-profit providers or short-term budget savings for governments.

​This submission responds to the Issues Paper, focusing on those elements dealing with the application or possible further application of Competition Policy in the area of government service provision, and to the current operation of Competition Laws concerning Secondary Boycotts and statutory exemptions, exceptions and defences.

This submission details the AEU response to Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group Consultation 2014 about initial teacher education and calls for strong professional standards for teachers.

This submission asserts that First State Super’s inclusion as a default superannuation fund will give our members in the education sector certainty, choice and support regarding their personal superannuation decisions.

​This submission responds to a request to provide further information to the Committee from the Inquiry Hearing on Wednesday 21 May. It deals with a range of issues in the provision of quality ECEC.

This submission focusses on the AEU’s concerns around key issues outlined in the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference and the Discussion Paper.

This submission asserts that the removal of barriers to racially offensive, insulting or humiliating behaviours will make it more difficult to promote appropriate standards of behaviour in the Australian community, and within its education system.

This submission responds to the Committee’s request to provide answers to three questions on notice from the Inquiry Hearing on 13 March. Issues covered include expenditure on the Gonski campaign, and the evidence for the AEU’s comments on the Teach For Australia program.

This submission supplements the submission made to the 2013 House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment Inquiry into the role of the TAFE system and its operation. It updates information on funding and resourcing, the effective of market competition, and analyses the range of methods used by state governments to allocate funding.

This submission responds to the terms of Reference, and asserts that it is time for the Coalition Government to deliver on the full Gonski funding reforms.

This submission addresses the issues outlined in the Donnelly-Wiltshire Review’s Terms of Reference, and details the AEU’s support for a consensus-based curriculum which serves the needs of students.

This submission concentrates on the availability and adequacy of speech pathology services in schools and early childhood education.

This submission highlights key areas being considered by the Inquiry as they relate to the AEU’s concerns for the public provision of education across the sectors, our commitment to quality for all children irrespective of the setting, and to our educator members working in the ECEC sector.

This submission outlines the need for strengthened laws to deal with discrimination as it is currently occurring, and for further changes to promote and enforce workplace rights.

This submission argues that the 2014-15 Budget must show an ongoing commitment to delivering full needs-based Gonski funding over six years to bring all schools to the Schooling Resources Standard. Failure to do so will leave a significant number of public schools across the country without an adequate level of resources.

This submission asserts that Australia’s TAFE, school and early childhood systems are the key to strengthening the cohesion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, to breaking the cycles of intergenerational unemployment, and ultimately to improving life outcomes.