Our platform

Four policies.
Real plans.

Every policy explains why it is necessary, how we will deliver it and the evidence behind it. No promises without a plan.

1
Transparency

Open Budget

Publish every dollar the student council spends — every term, in plain English.

Why it is necessary

Students raise money for events and fundraisers, but almost never see where it goes. When the budget is hidden, trust disappears and rumours replace facts. A student council should be accountable to the students who fund it.

Our plan

  • Publish a one-page budget after every term.
  • Add a 10-minute open budget item to each assembly.
  • Open an anonymous question form for spending.
  • Show the cost of every major event before it happens.

Evidence

In our Week 4 survey of 42 Year 9 students, 81% could not name a single item the council spent money on last year. Australia’s Parliament publishes its expenses; the same principle should apply at school.

Cost: under $50 for printingPaid from: existing communications budgetMeasure: budget published by Week 2
2
Cost of living

Fair Canteen

Cap the price of a basic lunch, add free filtered water and publish every price online.

Why it is necessary

No student should have to choose between lunch and a bus fare. Rising prices can push students towards skipping meals or buying less healthy food. A school canteen should be a service, not a barrier.

Our plan

  • Negotiate a $3–$5 student value range.
  • Install free filtered water at every service point.
  • Publish prices on the school website and noticeboard.
  • Run a termly student taste test and price review.

Evidence

In our survey, 1 in 4 students said they had skipped lunch because of price. Foodbank’s Hunger Report shows food insecurity is a real issue for Australian households, and students are not separate from that.

Cost: no new costPaid from: negotiated canteen pricingMeasure: price list live by Week 3
3
Opportunity

Late Library

Keep a quiet study space open until 5pm during exam weeks, with peer tutors on hand.

Why it is necessary

Not every student has a quiet desk, reliable internet or a lift home straight after school. Some wait for parents; others share a crowded house. A later library gives everyone the same chance to prepare.

Our plan

  • Open until 5pm for two weeks each term.
  • Recruit volunteer peer tutors for maths and English.
  • Keep a silent zone and a group-work zone.
  • Publish the schedule two weeks in advance.

Evidence

76% of students in our survey said they would use a later study space. OECD research on learning environments shows that access to a quiet place to study is linked to better outcomes and lower stress.

Cost: about $600 a yearPaid from: reallocated printing budgetMeasure: attendance and feedback each term
4
Belonging

Everyone Clubs

Fund four new student-led clubs and make participation free.

Why it is necessary

Clubs are where friendships form and where students find something to belong to. But some clubs cost money, some don’t exist, and some students never get asked to join. Belonging should not depend on a fee.

Our plan

  • Start four clubs: coding, art, chess and culture.
  • Provide a $200 start-up grant to each club.
  • Create a shared equipment library.
  • Hold a club showcase every term.

Evidence

68% of students in our survey wanted a club that does not currently exist. Beyond Blue reports that 1 in 7 young Australians experiences a mental health condition; belonging and connection are protective factors.

Cost: about $800 a yearPaid from: fundraising and existing clubs budgetMeasure: four clubs running by Week 6

How we pay for it

No new taxes.
Better choices.

We reallocate money that is already there, then raise the rest through existing fundraising. Every line is published.

Reallocate

$600 · printing

Move unused colour-printing credit into late library supervision and peer tutoring.

Reallocate

$400 · events

Use leftover event contingency for the club start-up grants and shared equipment.

Fundraise

$400 · campaign

One quiz night and one mufti-day collection cover the rest. Costs are published first.

Accountability

Every term

A public report shows what was spent, what worked and what we will change next.

Delivery

What happens
after the vote.

1

Week 1

Audit the current budget and publish the starting position.

2

Week 2

Open the budget page and launch the anonymous question form.

3

Week 4

Publish the first report and open the club grant applications.

4

End of term

Report back on every promise, including the ones we missed.

Evidence note: “our survey” refers to a 42-student Year 9 poll run during Week 4 of the campaign. Results are kept with the campaign team and are available to the teacher on request.

Sources and evidence notes

Our survey — 42 Year 9 students, Week 4. Questions covered budget awareness, canteen spending, study space and club demand. Results are held by the campaign team.

Parliament of Australia — parliamentarians publish expenses and entitlements: aph.gov.au.

Foodbank Australia — annual Hunger Report on food insecurity: foodbank.org.au.

OECD — PISA reporting on learning environments and student wellbeing: oecd.org/pisa.

Beyond Blue — mental health information and statistics: beyondblue.org.au.

A plan you can check.

Read it, question it, then number every box on Friday.

How to vote Meet the team