Why write a submission?
Public input into plans, policies, inquiries and other legal processes or documents are called ‘submissions’, usually managed through what is called a public consultation process. Not all policies and plans will be opened up for public submissions. When they are invited, submissions offer the public, public interest groups and other stakeholders such as businesses or associations the chance to share their concerns, knowledge and recommendations on the issue at hand.
Writing a submission is a good way to put forward your case in a meaningful way. It is important that lots of people and organisations with different views and perspectives are heard.
Your voice and your views matter. You have a right to be listened to and making a submission is an important way of being heard.
Do I have to identify myself?
Most submissions become public once they are made. They may be available on the government or agency’s website. You may not feel comfortable identifying yourself. If that is the case, make it clear in your submission or cover letter that you are making the submission anonymously. Your submission may still be publicly available, but your name and contact details won’t be.
Even if you don’t identify yourself by name, you should still explain who you are. For example, “I am a public school teacher”, “I am the guardian of a child attending public school” or “I represent X constituency”.
How do I write an effective submission?
Remember, you don’t have to have any particular high-level policy or legal expertise to write a submission. A submission doesn’t have to be overly technical or “legal” to be effective. You can write an individual or joint submission.
A submission doesn’t have to be in any specific style but be respectful and try to write in a clear, concise way. Try to make your submission as easy as possible for someone else to read. Your response does not have to be overly technical to be effective.
Your submission doesn’t have to be long. Concentrate on the things that you know about and leave out those things that you don’t have much to comment on.
Below is a draft structure for a submission that you can use as a starting point.
1. Introduction
a) Who are you? (Individual or organisation)
b) Top line summary of why this matters to you.
2. Your position on the matter
a) What is your position and why? What are the things you want to see and why?
b) What would a resolution to the issue under inquiry mean for you and your community/ communities you represent?
c) Any stories or statistics from your or your organisations experience with the issue under inquiry.
3. Close
a) Summarise your arguments
b) Ask for the solution.
It’s important that you write your submission in your own words and from you or your organisation's experience and perspective.
What should I include?
- What is the context of your organisation? Why does equity and school funding matter to your organisation and the people that you work with in our community?
- Connect the issue of resourcing to better outcomes for the people that you work with in our community.
- School completions for students, post school pathways, additional numeracy and literacy support for those who need help, early intervention programs.
Key messages:
- The gap between the Albanese Government’s offer to states of 22.5% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) and the full 25% is worth an additional $1000 per student. Yet, their legislation is proposing to lock in a floor of only 20% which any future government could revert to, resulting in funding cuts to schools.
- Reinforce the importance of the Commonwealth government setting a floor of 25% SRS share as opposed to 20%. Highlight the life changing outcomes that could be achieved for students if full funding was in the system. Draw parallels between the work of your organisation and the lifechanging outcomes for students.
What format should I use?
The Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 Inquiry has confirmed that it will accept submissions either through uploading to the online portal here, via email at
[email protected] or by post to:
Committee Secretary
Senate Education and Employment Committees
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Please note that postal submissions will need to be received by the closing date, so you’ll need to factor in mail delivery time.
Once you’ve made your submission, they will be uploaded in batches here. It’s important to know that your submission remains ‘property’ of the committee until it’s published
online. You cannot distribute or promote it until it is published. Then you can promote it widely.
Please send a copy of your submission to [email protected] if you are happy for further promotion.
