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History of ASPA 1968 to the Present
Formation and Early Years: The Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) traces its origins back to 1968. At that time it was known as the Australian High Schools Principals’ Association (AHSPA), a national body uniting state secondary school principals. In fact, the AHSPA began publishing a journal called Australian Principal in 1970 (catalogue.nla.gov.au), indicating a formal national network of public high school principals was in place by then. As the education landscape evolved, with many states adopting the term “secondary” instead of “high” school, the association’s name shifted to Australian Secondary Principals Association by the 1990s. The core mission, however, remained consistent: to serve as the “principals’ voice” for government secondary education in Australia, advocating for school leaders and public education excellence.
Development and National Collaboration: By the mid-1990s, ASPA, in concert with its state and territory affiliates, had established strong collaborative structures. A notable example was the launch of Principal Matters, a professional journal produced jointly by the secondary principals’ associations across all Australian states and territories (catalogue.nla.gov.au). This publication, described as “the official journal of the Secondary Principals’ Associations in the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia,” reflects how state bodies worked together under a national umbrella. Through such collaboration, ASPA provided a platform for school leaders to share expertise and influence education policy.
It’s important to note that unlike the primary sector (where a single national association, the Australian Primary Principals Association, formed in 1974, represents principals of government, Catholic, and independent schools), the secondary sector has long been represented by separate peak bodies for each schooling sector. ASPA has historically represented government secondary principals, while Catholic secondary principals formed their own national association in 1994 (now known as CaSPA), and independent school principals are represented by bodies such as the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA). These parallel associations often cooperate on shared concerns, but ASPA’s focus has been on public secondary schools and their communities.
Advocacy and Leadership: Over the decades, ASPA became a respected voice in national education debates. ASPA leaders regularly engage with federal policymakers and media on issues affecting secondary schools. For example, in 2018 the ASPA President, then Andrew Pierpoint, publicly responded to a federal review of teacher registration, urging greater national consistency in standards, highlighting the association’s role in shaping policy discussions (www.theeducatoronline.com). Ensuring equitable funding for public schools, addressing teacher and principal workforce challenges, and improving student outcomes have been common themes in ASPA’s advocacy. The association has consistently pressed for needs-based school funding and better resourcing of public secondary schools (www.nswspc.org.au), as well as initiatives to support principal wellbeing and leadership development over the years.
ASPA’s influence extends beyond Australia through its involvement in the International Confederation of Principals (ICP). In 2008, for instance, ASPA’s then-president Andrew Blair also served as President of the ICP, (a testament to ASPA’s standing on the world stage. ASPA’s past presidents and board members have been prominent education leaders domestically. They came to the national role after leading state principals’ associations. For example, Andrew Blair had been President of the Victorian principals’ association before leading ASPA and Andrew Pierpoint was President of the Queensland Secondary Principals Association before becoming ASPA President in 2018. This continuity ensures national advocacy is well-informed by grassroots school leadership experience.
Organisational Structure: ASPA today is constituted as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, with its members being the affiliated state and territory secondary principal associations (www.aspa.asn.au). Each state/territory association (e.g. NSW Secondary Principals’ Council, Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals, etc.) contributes to ASPA’s governance through representation on ASPA’s Board. This federated model has existed in various forms since the association’s early days, allowing a balance between national coordination and state-level autonomy. The ASPA national office works closely with these affiliates to formulate policy positions and submissions to government inquiries, ensuring that regional perspectives inform national stances.
Challenges: Like many professional bodies, ASPA has navigated some challenges in maintaining unity. In the 2010s, internal differences led to the New South Wales and Victorian state principals’ associations temporarily withdrawing from the national body. This period saw ASPA operating without full national affiliation, effectively representing most, but not all, states. However, efforts to mend these rifts bore fruit by the early 2020s. A “historic re-unification” was announced in early 2024, when NSW and Victoria formally re-affiliated, bringing all state and territory public secondary principals’ associations back under the ASPA banner for the first time in a decade (www.theeducatoronline.com). This reunification strengthened ASPA’s claim as “the undisputed national voice” of Australia’s government secondary principals, representing over 2,200 school leaders and more than one million students (www.theeducatoronline.com).
Unified Advocacy and Principal Voice: In recent years, ASPA has proactively built alliances with other principal associations to amplify school leaders’ voices, an effort that culminated in 2024 with the establishment of a formal National Principals’ Reference Group. This coalition unites government, Catholic, independent, special education, primary, and Indigenous principal associations, enabling a coordinated approach to national advocacy. On 28 June 2024, Education Minister Jason Clare convened an inaugural roundtable with nine peak principal bodies and committed to ongoing collaboration through this Reference Group, ensuring “the voice of the nation’s principals” is heard in shaping education policy. ASPA President Andy Mison hailed the new forum as “a new partnership between policymakers and those on the front lines of education”, noting it fulfilled ASPA’s long-held vision for direct principal input into federal policy. When the group reconvened in late 2024, discussions focused on major challenges like implementing the Better and Fairer Schools reforms, addressing teacher shortages, and improving principal wellbeing, with Minister Clare agreeing to explore new support measures proposed by the associations. The formalisation of the National Principals’ Reference Group stands as a significant milestone, underscoring ASPA’s commitment to unified advocacy and giving principals a direct voice at the highest levels of government.
Current Status: ASPA continues to be “the leading voice for secondary education in Australia,” focused on achieving equity and excellence in secondary schooling. Its activities include conducting annual national conferences/summits, publishing research and policy briefings, and partnering with education agencies. The Association’s 2025 Policy Briefing, for example, outlined strategies on issues like principal health and wellbeing, teacher shortages, funding equity, and inclusive education, reflecting the contemporary priorities of the organisation. ASPA’s current President (and Executive Director) is Andy Mison (www.aspa.asn.au), who succeeded Andrew Pierpoint in this role. Under this leadership, ASPA is working collaboratively with federal authorities (evidenced by its participation in national advisory groups and roundtables with the Education Minister (www.aspa.asn.au) to ensure the insights of school principals inform government policy.
The Australian Secondary Principals Association has evolved over more than five decades from its early incarnation as a “High School Principals” network to a modern, incorporated peak body. It has played a pivotal role in representing government secondary school leaders, championing public education, and shaping national education agendas. ASPA’s history demonstrates an enduring commitment to advocacy, professional collaboration, and leadership development on behalf of Australia’s secondary school principals and the students and communities they serve.