The Queensland Liberal-National government has appointed conservative figures to the state’s school curriculum board, ousting two union-linked members in a controversial move.
Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson and Independent Education Union branch secretary Terry Burke will be removed from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) board. They will be replaced by Leesa Jeffcoat, a former diocesan director of Catholic Education, and James Power, a businessman and founding chair of the right-wing lobby group Advance.
Jeffcoat has more than 20 years of experience in senior roles within the Queensland Catholic education system, while Power is involved in establishing St John Henry Newman College, a new school focused on classical Western education. Power has also led campaigns opposing Brisbane’s Tattersall’s Club admitting women and has backed anti-immigration and anti-2050 net-zero initiatives through Advance.
The changes coincide with ongoing tensions between the Crisafulli government and teachers over pay negotiations. In October, Queensland public school teachers overwhelmingly rejected the government’s final offer of an 8% pay rise over three years, with further strikes expected as negotiations move to arbitration at the Fair Work Commission.
The board reshuffle follows a high-profile exam error in which 140 students prepared for a Year 12 history test on the wrong topic. Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek described the appointments as a “fresh start,” citing the need for diverse skills in governance, educational leadership, and communication to ensure all Queensland students have access to a high-quality education.
Both Richardson and Burke expressed disappointment over the process and emphasized their ongoing commitment to the education sector. Richardson noted that Queenslanders will judge the qualifications and suitability of the new appointees.