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Media Release
Model Curriculum for Australian History in Years 9 and 10
25 June 2007
The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, today announced the establishment of a reference group to provide advice on a model curriculum to be used as the foundation for the teaching of Australian history in Years 9 and 10.
“The reference group will continue the work that began at the Australian History Summit in Canberra last year and the subsequent work of Australian Government to restore Australian History to its rightful place in the school curriculum,” Minister Bishop said.
“Following the Australian History Summit, I commissioned Associate Professor Tony Taylor, Associate Professor of Education Monash University, to develop the basis for a model curriculum framework in Australian History for years 3-10, which built on initial advice from a working group of summit participants.
“This work will form the basis of the model curriculum development for years 9 – 10.
“The reference group will build on the work of Associate Professor Taylor and the summit working group to provide more detailed specification of a model curriculum for the teaching of Australian History in Years 9 and 10.”
The Australian Government is providing funding of $13 million over two years through the Realising Our Potential – core curricula standards initiative, to work with states and territories to develop core curricula standards in Australian History and other key subject areas.
The members of the reference group are attached.
Media Contacts:
Minister Bishop’s Office: Tory Vidler 0414 228 727
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Media-unit 02 6240 7300
Non-media queries 1300 363 079
Attachment
The members of the reference group are:
Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Blainey, AC - Ernest Scott Professor of History, University of Melbourne (1977-1988), Chancellor, University of Ballarat (1994-1998). He has published over 30 books on Australian history and world history. Professor Blainey pioneered the field of business history in Australia, and his book, The Tyranny of Distance, introduced a new phrase to Australian life. Professor Blainey’s interests range from sports and local histories, to the broad sweep he considers in The Causes of War and A Short History of the World.
Dr Nicholas Brown - Senior Fellow, History Program, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. He was Keith Cameron Professor of Australian History, University College Dublin (2002-2004). His main areas of research are in Australian twentieth century cultural, political and environmental history, and Australian biography. His major publications include Richard Downing: economics, advocacy and social reform in Australia (2001) and Governing Prosperity: social analysis and social change in Australia in the 1950s (1995).
Dr Gerard Henderson – Executive Director, The Sydney Institute. He is one of Australia's leading political and social commentators. Dr Henderson writes a weekly column for The Sydney Morning Herald and The West Australian, comments each week on ABC Radio National Breakfast show and appears regularly Insiders on ABC TV. His books include Menzies Child: The Liberal Party of Australia 1944-94, Australian Answers, and Mr Santamaria and the Bishops.
Ms Jennifer Lawless - Inspector for Human Society and Its Environment (History), New South Wales Board of Studies. She has lectured in History teaching method at various universities, and taught History for over 20 years in NSW public schools. Ms Lawless is a member of the History Council of NSW, and has won a number of awards, most recently an Endeavour Research Fellowship to Turkey to undertake research on Australian Prisoners of War captured at Gallipoli.
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