Media Releases
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2024
October
Today’s introduction of school funding legislation into Parliament shows that the Albanese Government does not understand the reality on the ground of their failed school funding negotiations and the impact that this is having on the wellbeing and morale of teachers and students in public schools.
The Australian Education Union has placed an immediate ban on the implementation of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement.
New analysis from Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute, has highlighted the large economic, social, and fiscal benefits from funding public schools to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard.
September
The Australian Education Union welcomes the announcement of additional funding of $70.9 million for the recruitment of more teachers into schools. However, today’s announcement has continued the previous Coalition government’s preference for providing funds to Teach For Australia (TFA) to “fast track” people into the teaching profession.
Today’s announcement of a funding deal between the Albanese Government and the Tasmanian Government will lock in inequality for public schools, students and their families across the next decade. Tasmanian children will never have full funding under the new deal between Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The latest Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s ‘Education at a Glance’ report shows that Australia significantly underperforms against most OECD countries when it comes to investing in public schools.
Earlier this year, the Australian Education Union welcomed the announcements that the Commonwealth and state and territory governments would be making historic investments in TAFE under the National Skills agreement. The AEU also acknowledged the progress in national policy including the VET Workforce Blueprint and Fee-Free TAFE.
The extent of inequity in Australia’s school funding has been revealed in new research, showing that more than half of private schools in Australia now receive more combined Government funding (Commonwealth and State) per student than public schools of similar size, location and with similar student needs.
Contrary to claims by the Cook Government, the landmark bilateral agreement signed by the State and Commonwealth governments today will still leave public students in Western Australia underfunded.
August
A historic coalition of Education Ministers from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory has joined the Australian Education Union (AEU) Federal President, Correna Haythorpe, State Presidents, Public Education Association leaders, public school principals, teachers, parents and students, at Parliament House in Canberra to fight for full funding of public schools.
The 2024 NAPLAN results have delivered a damning indictment on the failure of governments to fully fund public schools and show, once again, the urgency of the Albanese Government delivering on their pre-election promise for public schools to be funded at 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard.
July
The Australian Education Union acknowledges the significant $768 million funding deal struck between the Albanese Government and the Northern Territory.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) welcomes the joint Albanese and Malinauskas Government’s announcement to invest $28 million to establish a TAFE Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care.
May
The urgent need for the full funding of public schools is revealed in new research that shows acute educator shortages across Tasmania, unsustainable educator workloads and significant declines in student and educator wellbeing that schools are not fully resourced to address.
The urgent need for the full funding of state schools is underlined in new research which reveals acute teacher shortages across Queensland, unsustainable teacher workloads and alarming declines in student and teacher wellbeing.
The urgent need for the full funding of NSW public schools is demonstrated in new research that reveals acute teacher shortages, unsustainable workloads and alarming declines in student wellbeing and engagement that schools do not have the resources to fully address.
The Australian Education Union welcomes the Albanese Government’s $600 million investment in skills and training as part of the 2024-2025 Federal Budget.
The Federal Budget fails to deliver the funding that public schools need and will widen a $30 billion capital infrastructure divide between public and private schools.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) has welcomed the announcement today of the Commonwealth Practice Payments, proposed to address the widespread issue of “placement poverty” and provide financial support to students during their practical placements in higher education and vocational sectors.
New research shows the urgent need for the full funding of Victorian public schools with teacher shortages and alarming declines on student and teacher wellbeing having a widespread impact.
New research shows governments are failing to deliver the funding public schools need to educate the rapidly increasing numbers of students with disabilities with nine out of ten principals saying their school is under-resourced in this area.
April
New research shows the urgent need for the full funding of South Australian public schools with three quarters affected by teacher shortages and alarming declines reported in student and teacher wellbeing.
Education Ministers meeting in Perth today must make real progress on public school funding with new research revealing the urgent need for the additional investment to lift results and combat debilitating teacher shortages and declining student and teacher wellbeing.
March
The Australian Education Union today used skywriting above Parliament House in Canberra to deliver a message to the Prime Minister about the need to keep his promise to fully fund public schools.
The Australian Education Union today welcomed news that the NT and Federal Governments are committing to full funding of public schools and said the investment was urgently needed.