Regional Queensland Council of Mayors welcomes regional education commissioner

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson, who is RQCOM Chair, said he looked forward to catching up with Fiona Nash.

“I’d like to congratulate Fiona Nash on the appointment as the first Regional Education Commissioner,” Mayor Williamson said.

“We’re looking forward to catching up with the Regional Education Commissioner, we’ve got lots to talk about,” he said.

“We’re dedicated to ensuring that young people in Regional Queensland have the same education and employment pathways as those in South East Queensland and other city centres.”

Mayor Williamson said that it was a travesty that regional Australians were less than half as likely to obtain a university degree by age 35 compared to those in metropolitan areas.

The position of Regional Education Commissioner was announced on 6 December 2021 to “bridge the gap and address the disparity in education outcome between metropolitan and regional students and provide a national focus for regional, rural and remote education.”

According to the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website the Commissioner “will be a champion for regional, rural and remote education, working with stakeholders across sectors to ensure all Australians can access and benefit from a high-quality education, regardless of where they live.”