Division Description Changes — Motions — Higher Education: Australian History — 18th Oct 2017

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senate vote 2017-10-18#11

Edited by mackay staff

on 2017-10-27 12:08:34

Title

  • Motions — Higher Education: Australian History
  • Motions - Higher Education: Australian History - Review curriculum

Description

  • <p class="speaker">Cory Bernardi</p>
  • <p>I move:</p>
  • <p class="italic">That the Senate&#8212;</p>
  • The majority voted against a [motion](http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2017-10-18.332.1) to *"review the history curriculum to ensure it reflects Australian heritage and values"*. The motion was introduced by Australian Conservatives Senator [Cory Bernardi](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/cory_bernardi).
  • ### Motion text
  • > *That the Senate—*
  • > *(a) commends the Institute of Public Affairs for its research report, The Rise of Identity Politics: An Audit of History Teaching at Australian Universities in 2017 ;*
  • > *(b) expresses concern at the reduced teaching in universities about the benefits of Western civilisation, the Enlightenment and the Reformation;*
  • > *(c) expresses concern at the increased teaching in universities about divisive topics of race, gender, environment and sexuality in the history curriculum; and*
  • > *(d) calls upon the Australian Government to review the history curriculum to ensure it reflects Australian heritage and values.*
  • <p class="italic">(a) commends the Institute of Public Affairs for its research report, <i>The Rise of Identity Politics: An Audit of History Teaching at Australian Universities in 2017</i> ;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(b) expresses concern at the reduced teaching in universities about the benefits of Western civilisation, the Enlightenment and the Reformation;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(c) expresses concern at the increased teaching in universities about divisive topics of race, gender, environment and sexuality in the history curriculum; and</p>
  • <p class="italic">(d) calls upon the Australian Government to review the history curriculum to ensure it reflects Australian heritage and values.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">James McGrath</p>
  • <p>I seek leave to make a short statement.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • <p>Leave is granted for one minute.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">James McGrath</p>
  • <p>The government welcomes the Institute of Public Affairs report as an important contribution to the public discussion on the importance of universities as places of learning, free speech and ideas. The government does not set the curriculum for universities and it would be an attack on academic integrity were a government in a liberal democracy to control what is taught at universities. However, standards must be met and are governed by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • <p>The question is that the motion moved by Senator Bernardi be agreed to.</p>