By BRON JOHNSTON, 

ICPA, Quambone Branch

Members from Quambone and District ICPA Branch recently attended the 52nd Isolated Childrens Parents Association State Conference held in Dubbo on 6 & 7 March. 

Linda O’Brien, Marie Younghusband and Bron Johnston represented the local branch attending two full days of guest speakers and branch motion presentations. 

Any ICPA member can be a policy maker by way of branch members bringing their concerns to State Conference in the form of motions which are debated and if adopted, become policy for State Council to lobby.

Established in 1971, the ICPA (NSW) is a non-for-profit organisation that advocates for all NSW students throughout rural and remote areas to have equity of access to education appropriate to their needs. 

Sadly students in rural and remote areas of NSW still face greater challenges compared to their metropolitan peers as recently highlighted in the Audit Office NSW Regional, Rural and Remote Education Report. 

A decade since the last Rural and Remote Strategy (2013) to address educational disadvantage, there remain considerable gaps in access and outcomes between rural/remote students and metropolitan students.

Guest speakers at State Conference included Deputy Premier of NSW Hon. Ms Prue Car MP, Hon Fiona Nash (Regional Education Commissioner), Ben Ballard (Executive Director NSW Department of Education-Rural Regional and Remote Education Policy Unit), Senator Perin Davey, Rod Crowfoot (Macquarie Homestay), Claire Taylor (Head of Strategy Innovation & Partnerships, Royal Far West), Michael Marom (Northern NSW Regional General Manager Telstra Retail & Regional Australia) and keynote speaker Joh Leader from Leader Life. 

At the conclusion of Conference, the Quambone and District Branch would agree that a ‘one size’ policy does not fit all and decision makers must think differently about education in rural and remote areas. 

Less than 50% of rural and remote young people will obtain a tertiary qualification. 

Whilst acknowledging the gap between urban and rural/remote areas, Government must ensure all NSW students access good education. 

It is the responsibility of Government to invest in education which in turn is a key driver to keep people in the regions. 

Government must work with rural/remote communities to improve educational outcomes and hopefully there is now a renewed focus on the multitude of challenges in these areas.

The Quambone and District Branch welcome and encourage new members to sign up via the ICPA website www.icpa.com.au/nsw. 

The ICPA advocates for all rural and remote families, in towns and on the land, from early childhood to tertiary and training.