Schools for Our Future tour reaches Queensland
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 3, 22 May 2026, page no.6
After travelling the country, the Australian Education Union’s national inquiry into Australia’s state school infrastructure needs — Schools for Our Future — arrived in Queensland.
The Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) and the AEU sought permission for the panel to visit local schools, but this request was declined by the Minister of Education. The inquiry still proceeded in Brisbane, with a series of stakeholder roundtables held with principals, teachers, and community organisations to identify practical solutions and long-term priorities for school infrastructure investment in Queensland.
The Brisbane roundtables form part of a nationwide consultation process that will inform recommendations to governments on how to deliver equitable, future-focused state school infrastructure across Australia.
At the stakeholder roundtables, members raised the lack of effective master planning. While schools may have a school infrastructure plan (SIP), members noted they been advised by region that “it is a plan — not a promise”. Others described a significant gap between funding allocated for planned maintenance and the reality of unplanned, urgent repairs. One member recounted (with some amusement) working with their region on the 2027 maintenance plan; when they asked to see the 2026 plan, they were told staff were not sure where it was.
Some members said new buildings can be impressive but are too often designed without meaningful input from teachers or school leaders, resulting in spaces that are not fit for purpose. In contrast, many members described that basic upgrades to ageing campuses (including heritage-listed buildings) to meet contemporary learning needs are difficult and costly, particularly when stretched across a minimal budget.
We also heard concerns about the condition and availability of toilets and ageing plumbing — for both students and staff.
Many schools have repurposed staff rooms and collaborative spaces to create additional learning areas for students — because student learning must come first.
Catering for diverse student needs is becoming more difficult in the absence of adequate resourcing and flexible, fit-for-purpose spaces.
The inquiry has identified eight key challenges for state schools:
- Enrolment growth, uneven demand, and inconsistent data.
- Rising student need, health, and wellbeing.
- Equity gaps in access to quality facilities.
- Ageing school infrastructure and underinvestment.
- Preparing every child for a rapidly changing world.
- Limited national coordination and funding.
- The changing role of state schools.
- Climate change and environmental resilience.
This is why the inquiry is so important. The federal government stepped away from direct infrastructure funding in 2017, and the investment gap is now estimated at around $5.4 billion.
Closing this shortfall could deliver the facilities schools need — such as STEM spaces, gymnasiums, arts precincts, quiet and active reflection areas, and dedicated collaborative and planning spaces for staff.
AEU President Correna Haythorpe said there is a “real opportunity right now for the state and federal government to work together and invest in the schools our communities need.
“This is about getting the settings right for the future. We must ensure our schools have the infrastructure to meet growing student needs and support high-quality teaching.”
Ms Haythorpe added: “Teachers in Queensland cannot be expected to deliver 21st century learning in facilities designed for decades past. With the right investment, we can ensure every child in Queensland learns in a school that is safe, modern, and built for success.”
Make a submission
The inquiry is seeking submissions from students, teachers, principals, support staff, parents and families, governments, organisations, and anyone with an interest in public education and the future of state schools.
- You can make a submission as an individual, or on behalf of an organisation, a school, or a group of union members.
- Submissions close 30 June.
- Privacy: Submissions will not be published without permission, and individuals will not be identified in the inquiry’s report.
- Visit the submission webpage here.