On 15 May 2013 the Senate referred the following matter to the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee for inquiry and report: the effectiveness of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), with specific reference to: (a) whether the evidence suggests that NAPLAN is achieving its stated objectives; (b) unintended consequences of...

This report examines the nexus between the demand for infrastructure delivery and the shortage of appropriate engineering and related employment skills in Australia.

A critical skills shortage has developed which threatens the ability of the agricultural sector to continue to grow and meet increasing global demand for food and fibre.On 19 September 2011 the Senate referred the following matters to the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 March 2012: All...

This report examines how to achieve the best education for students progressing through twelve years of school. The majority of committee members conclude that a more rigorous approach to teacher training and to curriculum design is required to improve educational achievement levels across the country. In a dissenting report, opposition senators take the view that...

This report argues that there is no labour shortage of such seriousness as to threaten the prosperity of the horticultural industry, worth $6.6 billion in 2003-04. It argues that measures to increase the labour force - including allowing seasonal contract labour from the Pacific islands - are not needed at this time. Nonetheless, the committee...