The Australia Council for the Arts today welcomed moves by the New South Wales Government to strengthen the study of Australian literature in primary and secondary schools.

NSW Education Minister the Hon John Della Bosca MLC yesterday requested the Board of Studies to examine ways to ensure that all students read works by Australian authors.

The move follows calls from the Australian literature in education roundtable, convened by the Australia Council in August, for an increased study of Australian literature in schools.

Dr Imre Salusinszky, chair of the Australia Council’s literature board, said Australian literature should feature in all school curricula across the nation.

‘Taking steps to ensure that more NSW schoolkids learn more of their cultural inheritance of the great Australian writers, from May Gibbs to Kate Grenville, is a great development,’ he said.

‘The Australian literature in education roundtable recommended three months ago that Australian literature should form a core element English courses, and we are thrilled to see this happening so soon.

‘We hope to see other state and territory education ministers support similar initiatives, and that any nationally consistent curricula or core standards include Australian literature.’

The Australian literature in education roundtable was held in Canberra on August 7 and included 20 eminent Australian authors, publishers, teachers, academics and other stakeholders.

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