2009 Conference Proceedings

Brisbane, Australia
7-10 July 2009

ACHPER International Conference in Brisbane July 7-10, backs Health and Physical Education Curriculum entitlement for all Australian students

Participants at this conference overwhelmingly supported the inclusion of Health and Physical Education in a national curriculum and urged the newly formed Australian Curriculum and Assessment Review Authority (ACARA) to support the case when it reports to the Australian Ministers of Education forum (MCEETYA) in October.

The Federal government has made it clear that this is the process that it has put in place but ACHPER has been wary given the extraordinary announcement recently to include the ARTS.

The Conference resolution followed a successful Symposium on the National Curriculum and a commitment by ACHPER to work with ACARA to ensure that HPE is not ignored. ACHPER and its members and allies will continue to remind all Australian governments of the importance of the learning area.

Professor Margaret Talbot, President of ICSSPE also supported the initiative and emphasised the importance of providing ACARA with relevant and useful information in order to progress our claim.

In the meantime ACHPER National Executive Director Jeff Emmel said, “it was important for members of our profession to make parents and the community aware of the consequences of not having a national curriculum entitlement for the HPE learning area”. It is recognised in the Melbourne Declaration of December 2008 and Emmel said "that many kindred organisations were beginning to come out in support of ACHPER’s position". 

The proceedings for the 26th ACHPER International Conference are now available.