From the President's Desk

July 2024

I am pleased to share some important updates and initiatives as we continue our commitment to advocating for public education and prioritising improvements across Australia.

Firstly, recent Australian vaping reforms aim to protect our students from the health risks associated with vaping. ACSSO’s community survey provided strong support for these reforms, which seek to reduce the supply and demand of vapes among children and teens under the age of 18. In line with ACSSO’s advocacy, the Government has passed legislation to restrict the availability of vapes and launched a health and education campaign. Additionally, the Government has funded support programs for children and teens to quit vaping and smoking, offered advice to teachers and families on how to address vaping with their children, and initiated an ad campaign highlighting how vaping can lead to addiction. We commend these measures and will continue to support efforts that prioritize the wellbeing of our young people.

Furthermore, we welcome the recent announcements of increased funding for Northern Territory schools. Both the Federal and Northern Territory Governments have agreed to raise funding for all Northern Territory schools to 100 percent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) by 2029. This funding will cover the minimum estimated costs of teaching, though it remains below the costs per student incurred in the private education sector. This crucial support represents a significant step toward ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education, regardless of their parents' resources or location. It is an important investment in restoring Australia’s ethos of a ‘fair go’ and opportunity for all.

On July 31, the Federal Government unveiled the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement 2025-2034 (the Agreement) online. This landmark accord between the Commonwealth, states, and territories aims to foster a more equitable and high-quality education system for all students. The Agreement will take effect on January 1, 2025, and remain in place until December 31, 2034.Looking ahead, ACSSO is preparing a strategy for the upcoming Federal election focused on securing further advancements in school funding and enhancing student and school community wellbeing in state government schools. Our goal is to advocate for sustained and equitable investment in education and ensuring every student thrives in a supportive environment.

Your involvement will be essential as we work together to achieve these objectives. Stay tuned for more details on how you can contribute to our efforts.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Regards

Damien

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