Newsroom

July 21, 2025

Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has welcomed the Queensland Government’s decision to adopt all eight recommendations of the Independent Home Education Unit Review (“the Review”), describing it as a major breakthrough for freedom of choice in education.

Mr Dametto said the policy shift was a far cry from 2024, when the former Labor Government attempted to crack down on home educators, by threatening families with increased red tape and overreach.

“It was the persistent voices of parents, carers and home education sector advocates that turned the tide and really brought this issue to the attention of the whole state,” Mr Dametto said.

In response to Labor’s unwanted policy proposal, the home education community rallied strongly behind a parliamentary petition sponsored by Mr Dametto. The petition attracted 22,933 signatures, and more than 1,200 submissions were made to the parliamentary committee considering the draft Labor bill.

The recent changes introduced under the LNP Government reflect input received from the home education community through the Review process and include measures that support parents’ ability to choose the type of education that meets their child’s needs.

Central to the reforms is the restructuring of the Queensland Home Education Unit, which will now provide both regulatory oversight and practical support for home schooling families. Key changes include regular parent engagement, updated program templates with clearer guidance and streamlined reporting options.

Mr Dametto said the changes were about giving parents the tools and support they need, not punishing them for making the choice to home school.

“In 2019 there were 3,400 registered home schooled students in Queensland. Now there is approximately 11,400. For many families, the choice to home school isn’t about preference, it’s about doing what’s best for their kids. Families choose home education because the mainstream education system doesn’t work for them.

“Adopting all eight recommendations from the Review means families can now get the right support and clarity to meet their legal obligations and actually focus on the most important thing, which is their child’s learning.

“Freedom of choice is a core value of the Katter’s Australian Party and that’s why we were proud to step up and support the home-schooling community when they needed our politically help during the former Labor administration. Parents should decide how their kids are educated, not the Government.”