Civics Expert Group and Civics Education Group, 1989-98

Component identifier:

Series 16

Content Summary:

The Civics Expert Group (CEG) was established on 23 June 1994 by the Keating Government. Under its terms of reference, its function was to 'provide the Government with a strategic plan for a non-partisan programme of public education and information on the Australian system of government, the Australian Constitution, Australian citizenship and other civic issues'. Macintyre was Chair of the Civics Experts Group in 1994-96. Other members were Dr Ken Boston and Susan Pascoe. Over a five month period in 1994, the CEG consulted in every state and territory and received 180 submissions. In its final report, 'Whereas the people'..civics and citizenship education (1994), it made proposals for civics education in the various education sectors and the community generally. As a result of the report, the Government funded several initiatives including a program of civics and citizenship education in schools and a Community Civics Campaign.

The Civics Education Group was established in May 1997 by the Howard Government to provide continuing advice to the Government on the civics and citizenship program Discovering Democracy. Membership of the Group is Dr J. Hirst (Chair), Dr K. Boston, Professor G. Craven, Professor S. Macintyre and Ms S. Pascoe.

The series comprises correspondence, meeting papers, submissions, reports, papers relating to the Community Civics Campaign and the Civics and Citizenship Education Program, newspaper cuttings and articles on citizenship and civics, and curriculum materials.

Material in this series from the original instalment was received in a state of great disorder with most papers unfiled and material from both bodies intermingled. The current order has been imposed by Library staff. Some publications already held by the Library were discarded from this series.

Papers from the May 2000 addition date primarily from 1994 and include papers on the establishment of the Civics Expert Group, meeting papers, drafts, submissions, correspondence, publications and other papers.

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