New statistics released today show that more than one in five Australian children are vulnerable in at least one area of their development and one in ten vulnerable in at least two areas at the time they reach school. Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said while it was encouraging that 78 per…
DetailsClaims today by Opposition Education Spokesperson Kate Ellis confirm changes made by the previous Labor Government have accelerated costs for Australian families but that they offer no plan to fix the mess they left. The Opposition continues to stand in the way of child care reforms that will benefit around one million families. Labor…
DetailsOpposition Early Childhood spokesperson Kate Ellis has taken another hit to her credibility on child care after she hitched her wagon to analysis of the Turnbull Government’s child care reforms, analysis that itself admits is incomplete and flawed. “New independent research has revealed that Malcolm Turnbull is spending an extra $3 billion on a child…
DetailsMore than one in four Australian university students want better support or higher quality learning materials according to the latest national snapshot of student experiences. Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the 2015 Student Experiences Survey should help focus efforts so more students are supported to finish their course. Minister Birmingham said that…
DetailsSimon Birmingham: The Government’s now making clear the determination in relation to the four remaining schools affiliated with the Australian Federation of Islamic Colleges. As people are aware, last year six schools were served with notice in relation to the continuance of Commonwealth funding to support those schools because of concerns about the independence of…
Details“In May 2015 my department initiated a formal review into six school authorities affiliated with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) following ongoing concerns about their independence, financial management and governance arrangements. “As a result of this review, on 13 November 2015, my department issued a Notice of proposed decision to each of the…
DetailsQuestion: Could you explain the decision here- why the decision’s been made to revoke the funding? Simon Birmingham: Well, today we’ve made the decision to revoke funding to the Islamic School of Canberra where this is a school that is part of six that are affiliated with the Australian Federation of Islamic Organisations and what…
DetailsKieran Gilbert: We’re going to turn to politics now, and tax change is once again at the centre of the political debate as Parliament resumes again today. With me now Education Minister Simon Birmingham to discuss this and the other matters of the day. Senator Birmingham, thanks for your time. Apparently the Prime Minister consulting…
DetailsSheridan Stewart: I have Senator Simon Birmingham on the line, Minister for Education and Training. Good morning Simon. Simon Birmingham: Good morning Sheridan, and good morning to your listeners. Sheridan Stewart: What’s your response to the concerns of the remote children’s services as expressed there by operator Vicki Olds? Simon Birmingham: I understand that this is a…
DetailsSimon Birmingham: Thank you so very much Jenny. I thought I’d start with a little of Dorothea Mackellar’s most famous words. I love a sunburnt country and a land of sweeping plains, of rugged mountain ranges, of droughts, of flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, her beauty and her terror,…
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