Alison Courtice, former lawyer, is the spokesperson for secular advocacy group Queensland Parents for Secular State Schools (QPSSS). The group has been leading the public call for nearly a decade for reform of the century old Religious Instruction (RI) program in Queensland state schools.
QPSSS is recognised by the Queensland Department of Education as a stakeholder on the issue of RI, a status which has allowed them to provide feedback on policy changes and enforcement of policy, leading to improvements in information provision and transparency.
The group is also active in the area of school chaplaincy, urging both state and federal governments to put student wellbeing first by hiring support workers solely on merit, regardless of faith affiliation or lack thereof, and to allow direct hire by education departments rather than involving religious labour-hire organisations.