2023–24 Budget

$72.4 million in early education workforce measures, including:

• $34.4 million to support professional development opportunities for up to 75,000 early childhood educators
• $33.1 million to support up to 6,000 existing educators as they work to complete current professional studies, and
• $4.8 million to help connect up to 2,000 students studying to become teachers with services, to complete work placements and strengthen workforce supply.

Strengthening safeguards against Child Care Subsidy fraud and non-compliance so that taxpayers’ money supports the delivery of genuine early childhood education and care.

A further $9.3 million to support the delivery of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, including:

• national guidelines to better support early career teachers and new school leaders
• improving teacher workforce data to better understand future demand for teachers.

$70.8 million to fund a new middle years boarding school at Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) in the Kimberley, upgrade the Yiramalay Studio School and establish a new Indigenous Education and Research Centre as part of a revised scope for the Building Boarding Schools On-Country program.

Strengthening safeguards in policy and financial assurance and compliance to ensure funding for non-government schools is appropriately used for school education.

$128.5 million to fund 4,000 additional university places over the next four years, to deliver graduates from STEM disciplines to support the nuclear-powered submarine program and broader AUKUS priorities.

The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships program will be extended by two years, providing more time for women to study part-time under the program while managing competing commitments