Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
Patron-in-Chief
The Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA)

What a splendid concept, to empower young Australians to become active, engaged and responsible citizen. Through providing a variety of projects and awards aimed at students between the ages of 8 to 25, you are helping to educate and inspire our country's future leaders. We are a young country, but a strong one; a multicultural nation brought together by our democratic values and Constitution. In our fast-paced and globalised world, it is vital that all young Australians understand our governance systems, to enable them to participate effectively in current and future political discussions. In the words of Nelson Mandela: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.     

Steve Waugh
Australian of the year 2004

In my travels playing cricket for Australia, I saw a number of countries without the freedoms we enjoy. These experiences brought home to me the importance of the Australian Constitution. The more Australians understand the important role played by our Constitution, the stronger we will be as a community. 
 

Katie Richardson
Miss World Australia 2008
CEFA School Parliaments (CSPs) Ambassador


I feel that it is imperative for our younger generation to immerse themselves in the processes governing Australian society. Civics education is the key to producing a generation that possesses democratic attitudes, and therefore, education plays a significant role in maintaining the strong system that we have. CEFA School Parliaments (CSPs) provide young Australians with the opportunity to understand their government, they also allow them to have a voice and to action their ideas.

Professor Greg Craven
Curtin University of Technology

Bigger than the big Australian and more lasting than any economic boom, the Constitution is the greatest asset we have, CEFA will work in a strongly non-partisan way to enrich the understanding of Australians of their greatest asset; their Constitution.

Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
CEFA Foundation Council

On behalf of the Foundation Council, and as an Australian, I am proud to invite you to support what may well be our most important task.  

The Hon. John Howard
Former Prime Minister

As a pioneer of democracy amongst free nations, Australia is one of the few countries to have been continuously democratic throughout the course of the twentieth century. Australia’s Constitution is the foundation of our system of government. It is uniquely Australian, shaped by Australians whose vision for this country embraced the democratic values and principles which still unite us today. Educational initiatives that raise awareness and improve understanding about Australia’s system of government and how it operates play a vital part in making us as a nation better informed about our constitutional heritage and better equipped to determine our future. I commend the Constitution Education Fund for encouraging Australians to learn more about the Constitution and our system of government.

Major General Michael Jeffery
Former Governor-General 

Major General Michael Jeffery
Former Governor-General 

I firmly believe that all Australians, young and old, those born here and those who have come from other lands, should have a broad understanding of the system of government that has made our country one of the most successful democracies in the world. I hope that you will consider either participating in, or supporting this cause. By doing so you will be helping to give all Australians – especially our leaders of tomorrow – a greater appreciation of a system of government and a Constitution that has played a vital part in making Australia a country of which we can all be rightly proud.  

Peter Lindsay MP

Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters
Letter to CEFA Re 2006 Inquiry into Civics and Electoral Education

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, I write to thank you for your assistance in nominating schools in Sydney for the Committee’s inquiry into civics and electoral education. These schools visits, held across the country, have provided an invaluable source of evidence for the inquiry and have given the Members an appreciation of the significant work being carried out in the field of civics and citizenship education. The Committee found the students of the schools you nominated to be informed, interested and inquisitive and the teachers to be dedicated professionals, committed to finding inspiring and critical ways to teach civics and electoral units. The Committee was particularly impressed with the culture of these schools, which clearly place a strong emphasis on the traditions of Australian democracy. The Committee is also appreciative of the work the Constitution Education Fund Australia has undertaken across Australian schools to promote democracy and active citizenship.