by: Michelle Mosiere

The implementation of Accord recommendations is underway. For those of you who are returning from holidays and wanting a quick refresher, here is a snapshot of the latest developments.

Key dates

01/07/25 the interim Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) begins operating.

26/11/25 proposed legislation to formally establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) is introduced to the House of Representatives.

27/11/25 the Senate refers the Accord-based bills to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report.

28/11/25 public submissions relating to ATEC open with public hearings to follow (see https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/How_to_make_a_submission for information on how to make a submission and attend a public hearing).

04/12/25 the Secretary of the Department of Education, Tony Cook PSM, appears at Senate Estimates and states that “the ATEC actually doesn’t have a role around policy. The ATEC has a role around advice and about particular functions in relation to that advice.”

15/01/26 public submissions to the ATEC inquiry close and associated hearings can be tracked via https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment.

16/01/26 the Education and Employment Legislation Committee begins to process submissions and determine whether they will be published.

26/02/26 the Education and Employment Legislation Committee reports on inquiry outcomes.

Interim ATEC

The interim ATEC comprises three commissioners:

• Professor Barney Glover, the Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Commissioner
• Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt as interim First Nations Commissioner
• Professor Mary O’Kane as interim Chief Commissioner.

Their role is to advise on the:

• legislative design of the Accord-based bills
• prioritised implementation of Accord recommendations
• structures needed for mission-based compacts and funding, and
• terms of reference for a First Nations Council and a First Nations-led review of higher education.

Current activities

To date the interim ATEC has:

• established a First Nations Working Group
• facilitated workshops to explore opportunities to systemically increase professional practice in learning and teaching across the sector
• convened a working group to explore options for a new costing model in higher education.

These activities are supported by the Department of Education’s ATEC Division, currently led by Dan Donegan.