These formal submissions have been compiled by ICPA (Aust) on behalf of rural and remote students and their educational needs.
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022
Access to quality early childhood education is essential for optimal educational outcomes. ICPA (Aust) seeks equity of access to affordable early childhood education for Australia’s most remote cohort of children, many of whom have no access to centre based early childhood education but rely on In Home Care (IHC) and/or mobile playgroups to meet their needs and rights to an appropriate early childhood education.
Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022
Submission to the Australian National Audit Office into the Audit of Expansion of Telehealth Services
The key message which ICPA (Aust) continues to promote across all components of our advocacy is equitable access to educational opportunities for geographically isolated students. This includes access to equitable and adequate health services, including Allied Health, required to address conditions affecting the ability of students to succeed at learning.
Submission to the Australian Apprenticeship Services and Supports Discussion Paper
ICPA (Aust) believes engaging in Australia’s workforce through Apprenticeships, Traineeships and School Based Traineeships (SBATs) should be an option for all young Australians who have the ability, ambition and motivation to succeed in these vocations, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographic location.
Submission to the Australian Apprenticeship Services and Supports Discussion Paper
Submission to the Productivity Commission’s 5-year Productivity Inquiry: Australia’s Data and Digital Dividend Interim Report
ICPA (Aust) advocacy extends to communications needs of rural and remote education and geographically isolated students. Often in rural and remote areas of Australia adequate communications underpin the ability for students to access their education programs and resources. The importance of ensuring high quality, reliable and affordable communications services is critical. For these students, communication is key.
Submission to the Productivity Commission’s 5-year Productivity Inquiry
Submission to the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022
The plight of rural and remote families who have limited to no access to early childhood education and care continues to be a grave concern for ICPA (Aust) members across the country. An array of initiatives is required in order to address this reality to ensure that geographically isolated children are provided with equitable opportunities to access quality ECEC as their urban counterparts, lest where they reside result in considerable educational disadvantage.
Submission to the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022
Submission to the Independent evaluation of the National School Chaplaincy Program
ICPA (Aust) emphasises that the National School Chaplaincy Program has been a positive and valuable program for rural and remote students and schools who, due to their location, may have limited access to other support services. ICPA (Aust) recommends that the program be maintained to ensure the vulnerable cohort of rural and remote students who may have no or limited access to other support services are not further disadvantaged.
Submission to the Independent evaluation of the National School Chaplaincy Program
Submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry
ICPA (Aust) emphasises that accessibility and availability of high quality, reliable and affordable communications services is critical in rural and remote Australia. Therefore, any proposal or potential to ensure that communications can be maintained or improved at any given time and in particular during natural disasters and other emergencies is welcomed.
Federal Government Pre-Budget Submission 2022-2023
ICPA (Aust) calls on the Federal Government to commit funds to:
1. An increase to the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Allowance and alignment to the CPI Sub Education Index.
2. The extension of the AIC Distance Education allowance to 3-4 year old geographically isolated children accessing an approved distance education early learning program.
3. The implementation of a Distance Education Teaching Allowance (DETA) for geographically isolated distance education families.
4. Assured funding for rural and remote Mobile Early Childhood Services.
5. An increase to the Commonwealth Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA) and alignment to the CPI.
6. The establishment of a Rural Hardship Education Fund (RHEF).
Federal Government Pre-Budget Submission 2022-2023
ICPA (Aust) Key Recommendations 2022-23
