Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Hansard source

I have called for a debate in order to ensure that we can achieve greater national consistency and I have said that the states should bring to the table the very best that they have to offer. So, if the New South Wales curriculum is the best in the country, let us all have a look at it and see if that can be rolled out nationally. I have suggested that representatives from the states and territories get together to discuss the best curriculum that this country can produce.

I have worked with education ministers across the country to ensure that we can get consistency in statements of learning, and they are under way in five subjects. The states have now agreed that, as part of our funding agreement, there will be national assessments in literacy and numeracy for years 3, 5, 7 and 9. What we need to focus on is ensuring that every child, wherever they go to school in Australia, has access to a high-quality education, with high-quality teaching in a high-quality environment.

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