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Our Students Need an Education Ombudsman
Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Thursday 11th March 2010, 2:20pm
in International Students Schooling
The Australian Greens have moved to lock in protection for all students with legislation to provide a new national authority to handle education complaints, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, has today introduced the Ombudsman Amendment (Education Ombudsman) Bill 2010 into Parliament, which would establish a new office of the Education Ombudsman under the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
"We need a one-stop national authority that can resolve student complaints, whether it's in domestic education or the international education sector, '' Senator Hanson-Young said.
"A new office of the Ombudsman is the best way to achieve this.''
The final report of the Baird Review into International Education this week called for an expansion of the role of the Ombudsman to deal with students' problem cases.
"I welcome the fact that such a comprehensive review acknowledged the importance of having an effective outlet for international students' complaints,‘' Senator Hanson-Young said.
"The Greens believe this bill provides an effective solution to the report's recommendation. We call on the Government to support the legislation as a signal of its commitment to dealing quickly with the clearly identified shortcomings of the international education sector.''
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MEDIA RELEASE
HON ROBERT BROKENSHIRE MLC
FAMILY FIRSTEDUCATIONSPOKESPERSON
FAMILY FIRST TO CREATE
EDUCATION OMBUDSMAN
Friday 17 October 2008
FAMILY FIRST MLC Robert Brokenshire has announced today that his Party is
ready to introduce a Bill creating an Education Ombudsman, to deal with public
outcry over Education Department in action or bureaucratic bungling of complaints by
students, parents and teachers alike
“This is a system that is breaking down, and the solution is an Ombudsman specific
to the education sector”, Mr Brokenshire said.
FAMILY FIRST’s Bill will:
Appoint an Education Ombudsman independent of Government with the
powers of a Royal Commission (as is the case with the State Ombudsman);
Enable the Education Ombudsman to initiate his or her own investigations, or
conduct investigations referred to him or her by the Minister or a Parliamentary
Committee;
Allows the Education Ombudsman to make directions to the Minister to amend
school discipline policies;
Require any changes in School Discipline Policy to be scrutinised by
Parliament’s Social Development Committee, as previously promised;
Allows the State Ombudsman to transfer existing education-related matters to
the new Education Ombudsman
“I have been absolutely appalled at the tales from the education system that I have
heard from constituents contacting my office and on talkback radio”, Mr Brokenshire
remarked, “Never in my time in Parliament have I heard such awful allegations of
neglect of children and disregard for parents’ concerns.”
“Installing an Ombudsman experienced in and specific to the Education sector is a
priority for FAMILY FIRST and I hope will receive the support of the Government
