Media Release MLA | 22 July 2025
Liam Staltari MLA
Shadow Minister for Education;
Early Childhood; Disability Services; Heritage
As WA schools return for Term Three this week, families and teachers of students with disabilities remain in the dark about vital support in the classroom.
Shadow Education and Disability Services Minister Liam Staltari said the Cook Labor Government had still not released findings of a State Education Act review, intended to make recommendations to improve access and inclusion for students with disabilities.
Announced in December 2023 by former Education Minister Tony Buti, the review was concluded over six months ago and now sits with Education Minister Sabine Winton.
The review was conducted to identify opportunities to strengthen access and inclusion for students with disabilities – including by giving clarity and confidence to educators in complex classrooms.
“School is back, but families and educators of students with disabilities are still no closer to knowing whether they will receive the clarity and additional support they have long been asking for,” Mr Staltari said.
“Parents and teachers deserve to know what recommendations have been made and how the Government intends to better support students with disabilities in their school communities.”
Community advocate Symone Wheatley-Hey, founder of the group Square Peg Round Whole – which supports families and education professionals nationwide in advocating for students with disability within the school system – also called for the release of the review.
“Releasing the review’s report – alongside a clear update on progress and next steps – would offer much-needed transparency and start to restore community confidence,” she said.
“Every day the government delays, schools are left in limbo and more students risk being excluded, unsupported, or inadequately accommodated. This is not just a matter of policy; it’s about trust, transparency and respecting the voices of those who participated in the review in good faith.”
As at 30 June 2024, the Department of Education was supporting 18,034 students (5.5 per cent of all public school students) in government primary and secondary schools through the individual disability allocation – with this number expected to grow in the years ahead.
Mr Staltari said ongoing challenges in WA schools underscored the need for action.
In May, a report by the Ombudsman WA revealed nearly one-third of physical assault allegations in the education sector between January 2023 and July 2024 involved a child with a disability as the victim – most commonly those with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD.
The State School Teacher’s Union’s 2025 ‘State of our Schools’ survey revealed that more than eight in ten survey respondents had considered quitting in the past four years, with burnout and stress being key concerns.
Last week, Advocacy WA shone a spotlight on the fact that children with disabilities were significantly more likely to be bullied than their school peers.
ENDS
Media Contact: Graham Mason – 0419 194 792
