A group of ten SCEA staffers travelled to Canberra this week for the Christian Schools Australia (CSA) National Policy Forum and Symposium 2025, which featured keynote speeches, updates on the parliamentary changes following the recent Federal election, and time to fellowship with other Christian leaders in CSA schools across Australia.
The Christian Schools National Policy Forum is a two-day event that allows member school representatives to hear from Australian and international speakers on issues affecting Christian schooling in Australia:
Keynote speakers for 2025 included:
- Mrs Lorraine Finlay – Human Rights Commissioner (Freedom, Faith and Fairness: Navigating Human Rights in Education Today)
- Ms Margaret Chambers – Institute of Public Affairs (Crashing Waves: the Legacy of the Last Parliament)
- Mr Steve Beegoo – Christian Concern UK (Woke Culture: How to Prepare for a Tsunami; The experience in the UK and Europe of Christian Educators)
- Dr Kevin Donnelly AM – (Navigating the Future Political Landscape in the Australian context)
There were also optional workshops:
- Dr Mark Fowler (Reforms to the Freedoms of Religious Schools: Where to from here?)
- Mr John Lyndon (Financial Sustainability)
- Mr Mark Sneddon (Wise Policies and Practices to Manage Legal Risk)
- Dr John Collier (The Attrition From Christian Faith of Our Graduates While At University)
On Wednesday, the final day of the Canberra trip, included the CSA Symposium, which dealt with contemporary issues surrounding Christian education in today’s political climate:
- Dr Russell Moore – Christianity Today (Navigating the Future Political Landscape: International context)
- Dr Daniel Pampuch – Chief Executive Officer, Christian Schools Australia (Understanding “Who is this generation?”)
- Mr Mike Potter – Principal, Tyndale Christian School (Navigating Complex Needs: Empowering Schools to Protect & Support)
- Mr John Steenhof – Human Rights Legal Alliance (What are the rights (legal position) of students in our schools?)
- Mr Gary Cully – Principal, Parklands Christian College (Responding to the Media and local MPs when in crisis)
Following the Canberra leg of the trip, the group moved on to Adelaide to visit both Tyndale Christian College and Temple Christian College, both like-minded Christian schools doing amazing work with young people who are part of Christian Schools Australia.
