Federal Budge t: Labor’s first budget shows a commitment to teacher workforce, early
childhood and student wellbeing says Catholic education
Catholic education has welcomed the Albanes e Government ‘s first budget and commitments to additional
university teaching places, early childhood education and student wellbeing.
National Catholic education acting executive director Sally Egan said the government’s first budget has focused on
a numb er of critical areas for education.
Teacher workforce strategies
“The federal government’s move to allocate 4, 036 additional teaching places, including 1,469 for early education
teachers, is a positive step towards addressing the teach er shortage and ensuri ng there is a teacher i n front of
every student every day,” Ms Egan said.
The government will also deliver on commitments to address teacher workforce issues providing: $56.2 million for
5,000 bur saries of up to $40,000 each ; $68.3 million to expand the High Achieving Teachers program to support an
additional 1,500 candidates; and $27.6 million to implement recommendations from the Quality Initial Teacher
Education Review.
“It is important to resource prospective teachers into the profession and build the capacity of early career and
experienced teachers to deliver quality education.
” There is still more work to be done in aligning I nitial Teacher Educa tion with practical experience, strong
mentoring to set teachers up for success, and to continue to develop a strong and committed workforce that
supports the growth and le arning of every student.
” With n early 40 per cent o f Catholic schools outside of metropolitan ar eas, we we lcome the government ‘s decision
to allocate additional teaching places to students from rural and remote Australia, as well as students from lower
income backgrounds and First Nations people.”
Early Ch ildhood Education and Care
” The government’s $4.5 billion to increa se Child Care Subsid y rates from July 2023 will help make early childho od
education and care more affordable for families,” Ms Egan said.
” We look forward to working with the government to suppor t and grow early childhoo d education strongly alig ned
with school communities. ”
Australian Government’s National Student Wellbeing Program
The government has also committed $61.43 million per year to contin ue the National Student Wellbeing Program.
“Student mental health and wellbeing is an increasing concern for school communities and these much -needed
funds will help to support the provision of additional professionally qualified staff,” Ms Egan said.
