Speech: Address to the launch of the Academy of Science’s Decadel Plan for Mathematical Sciences

Unidentified Speaker: Thank you Minister Andrews for that exposition of the importance athletics for the future of Australia. It gives me now great pleasure to introduce the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham. I think I speak for everyone in this room, and I express my excitement in acknowledging the new focus on science,…

Interview: ABC AM – Kim Landers

Subject: Schools funding arrangements Kim Landers: With education funding the new battleground in the tussle between the Federal Government and the states and territories, I’m joined from Adelaide by the Federal Education Minister, Senator Simon Birmingham. Minister, good morning. Simon Birmingham: Good morning Kim, great to be with you. Kim Landers: Can you give me an example of why…

Labor lies on schools #2

Labor have followed up on yesterday’s lies about school funding, again spouting mistruths about the reality of schools funding arrangements across Australia.   “…things like the national curriculum, things like the national approach to teacher quality, things like the national approach to leadership accreditation, to a whole range of initiatives, would be put in dire…

Labor lies on schools

Bill Shorten, Chris Bowen and Kate Ellis have today demonstrated that Labor either don't have the faintest idea of how our school education system is structured in Australia or that they are hell-bent on telling lies all the way to the election.     “Malcolm Turnbull has today said that he will abandon school education…

Roadmap to research readiness

The Turnbull Government has named the group of experts who will map out Australia’s research priorities over the coming decade.   Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the new Expert Working Group would help set the future direction of national research infrastructure after the Turnbull Government gave the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy…

Addressing disadvantage in schools

A new report out today has confirmed that despite ever-increasing record levels of funding, the learning gaps of Australian students from different backgrounds continue to grow while our international rankings slip.   Australia’s education spending is at record levels that the OECD acknowledges as above the average yet the Grattan Institute’s Widening Gaps report shows…