Strengthening Australia's relationships with countries in the Pacific region: education as a vehicle for transformation

Despite Australia's proximity and engagement with our Pacific Island neighbours, little is being done to expose young Australians to this part of the world. In fact, the Pacific Islands remain nearly invisible in the Australian curriculum, a key document enabling teachers across the nation to plan, teach and positively impact the lives of young Australians each year. The curriculum is a crowded place but there are currently missed opportunities in the Australian curriculum to positively influence Australia's relationships with countries in the Pacific region. This proposal highlights some of those missed opportunities and offers some recommendations