Dear Reader,
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into ways of increasing voter engagement and providing more confidence in politics has recommended politics be a mandatory subject in schools. Committee members acknowledged that while compulsory civics and citizenship content will be introduced into primary schools from 2027, this did not extend to the high school curriculum.
The inquiry received more than 35 submissions, including from the Australian Council for Student Voice whose executive director and student voice advocate, Mitchell Sprague, said students had shown a keen interest in politics, as reflected in movements such as the School Strike 4 Climate. Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John says, “Young people are inheriting a world that is in crisis,” and calls for the “curriculum to reflect that”.
However, these comments reflect much of what is actually wrong; you can’t meaningfully critique a system you don’t understand.
The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority NAP–CC assessment evaluates students’ understanding of Australian democracy, government systems, civic rights and responsibilities, and the values underpinning Australia’s multi-ethnic society. It also assesses students’ attitudes and engagement in civic-related activities. The most recent results available show only 38 per cent of year 10 students were at or above the proficient standard in civics and citizenship in NSW.
Encouraging protest without providing the civic knowledge behind it, is not education—it’s indoctrination. Civics education isn’t about handing students placards and telling them to protest. It’s about teaching them how the system works—how laws are made, how Parliament operates, and what it actually means to be an engaged citizen in a liberal democracy.
If we care about democracy, we must prioritise civics education that builds capability, not just outrage.
Is 15minutes Really Too Much to Ask?
A UK survey conducted by book data company Nielsen and publisher HarperCollins shows only 41 per cent of zero—to four-year-olds are now being read to frequently, down from 64 per cent in 2012. Fewer than half of parents of children under 13 said reading aloud to children was “fun for me”.
This is an alarming statistic. Children who are read to daily—for just 15 to 20 minutes—are almost three times more likely to choose to read independently compared to children who are only read to weekly at home. Research also shows in addition to a range of other benefits, reading to your child daily:
- Expands vocabulary and improves language skills.
- Builds early literacy and prepares children for school success.
- Enhances comprehension, memory, and attention span.
- Correlates with stronger reading and writing skills.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a staggering 44 per cent of Australian adults (about 7.3 million) have low literacy, where the reading standard ranges from primary school-level up to early secondary school. People with low literacy may be able to read menus, street signs and medicine labels, and get their driver’s licence, but they struggle with longer paragraphs in a news story. Others may be able to get through the same news stories but find it difficult to tell you what they’ve just read. Only about 15 per cent of the population read at level 4 to 5 (the highest).
The ROI of reading to your child is astronomical. Start early and read to your children—regularly!
Schools Program new curriculum release
The IPA’s Civics and Citizenship unit on Local Government empowers students with a practical understanding of how councils operate in Australia’s democratic system. Students learn to identify infrastructure in their own communities, understand the roles of different levels of government, and evaluate what makes a place liveable and well-managed, while gaining an insight into the real-world consequences when these systems fail, using international case studies like Venezuela for contrast.
Understanding local government is foundational to building responsible, civic-minded Australians. This unit enables students to appreciate the value of democratic institutions, the importance of civic responsibility, and the practical role government plays in everyday life—fostering gratitude for well-functioning systems and freedoms.
Civics and Citizenship unit on Local Government can be downloaded here.
IPA Schools Program Out and About
Childhood Climate Anxiety Project: Australia’s education system increasingly requires teachers to become agents of ideological instruction. Article published in The Australian Spectator.
On Sky News with Rita Panahi – discussing the radical ideology presented in schools that parents often don’t know about.
On Sky News with Rita Panahi – discussing the release of the Yoorrook Commission report.
On ABC Radio 774 – regular fortnightly appearance on The Weekly Wrap with Raf Epstein and Emma Dawson on July 4th.
On the Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 10 July 2025, discussing Anti Semitism, Chalmers special tax, protest permits.
On weekly ABC 774 radio July 11th with Jessie McCrane – discussing red tape WWC, bureaucratic cost of child care.
Quote of the month:
Thomas Jefferson emphasised the importance of an informed populace in a democracy. In a letter to Richard Price dated 8 January 1789, Jefferson stated:
“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.”
Thank you for your support.
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