The Coalition has unveiled a curriculum reform proposal that would remove content on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture, Australia's engagement with Asia, and sustainability, replacing it with a focus on "national pride" and "Western values". The plan was announced by shadow education minister Julian Leeser during a speech at an education conference in Sydney on Saturday.
Details of the Curriculum Proposal
Leeser stated that the Coalition would eliminate the three cross-curriculum priorities, which, according to the Australian Curriculum, are not separate subjects but provide opportunities to enrich the content of other subjects like English, history, and science. He claimed these priorities "almost by definition [mean] they're not being taught by people with subject matter expertise" and that they did both the topics and teachers a disservice.
Instead, Leeser argued that these topics should be delivered as discrete, planned topics within history, geography, or science classes. "If you're teaching a maths or science or history class – I'd like you not to have to worry about incorporating those additional bits," he said.
Focus on Western Culture and National Pride
As part of the proposal, Leeser said students should be taught the "foundations of Western culture", including democracy, the rule of law, and "a fair go". He emphasized the importance of learning about Australia's history: "I want Australian students to learn more about all three strands of our history: our Indigenous heritage, our British foundation and our multicultural character."
He also called for every school to have a flag, stating, "Let every school have a flag and let every student take pride in it, its history and the values for which it stands." He added, "On teaching our children about national pride, there is much to do."
Political Context and Additional Policies
The announcement comes as the Coalition seeks to win back voters from One Nation, whose education platform states "there should be no room for Western, white, gender, guilt shaming in any classroom". The Coalition's policy also includes streamlining pathways for mid-career Australians to become teachers, addressing student behaviour, reducing screen time and AI use, and lifting educational outcomes for boys.
Leeser floated the idea of helping veterans become teachers, saying, "When I think about the need for better classroom behaviour and more discipline in our classrooms, about the need for more support for Australian values, it seems to make sense."
He also criticized Labor, saying, "We need to stop class war politics and recognise that school funding is about funding for students, wherever they learn. It's time to restore excellence to Australian schools."
The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment results, released earlier this month, showed Australia had dropped to its worst ever results for maths and reading, and classroom disruption remained among the worst in the world.
