As Australia faces renewed deliberations over school funding, with states like Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria rejecting the Albanese government’s 2025 proposal to increase federal contributions from 20% to 22.5%, the historical roots of federal involvement in education funding provide valuable context.
According to historian Jennifer Clark, adjunct professor at the University of Adelaide, this involvement began only six decades ago, shaped by Cold War tensions and the leadership of Prime Minister Robert Menzies.
A Cold War catalyst
Clark highlighted the pivotal role of the 1957 launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, in prompting Western nations, including Australia, to scrutinise their education systems. At the time, American scientists warned of dire consequences if the West failed to catch up in science and technology. In Australia, Menzies was already aware of deficiencies in science education, thanks to the 1956 Murray Report, which he had commissioned.
The report, authored by Sir Keith Murray, exposed significant weaknesses in Australian science education. It revealed that many schools lacked laboratories, teachers were inadequately trained, and outdated curricula left students unprepared for university-level science. The situation was especially dire for girls, who were rarely encouraged to pursue science subjects like physics or maths.
Federal intervention
Clark noted that these challenges set the stage for Menzies’ groundbreaking 1963 election campaign promise to fund the construction of science laboratories in high schools, both government and non-government. This initiative was formalised in the 1964 States Grants Act, marking the first time the federal government directly funded schools.
While historians have debated whether Menzies’ policy aimed to win Catholic votes in the 1963 election, Clark argued the program’s benefits extended far beyond political manoeuvring. More than 500 schools, including public and non-Catholic private institutions, received federal assistance to build labs.
Expanding the vision
Clark traced how this initial intervention in science education evolved into broader federal support for schools. By the late 1960s, the government was funding libraries and providing per-student grants to both private and public schools. These policies laid the foundation for the complex school funding system Australia has today.
“What had begun as a specific scheme to improve science education grew into an ongoing commitment to support school education in general,” noted Clark. “As today’s school funding wars continue into 2025, it is worth remembering the unusual history behind the federal government’s involvement.”