New history curriculum defended after John Howard's attack

THE national curriculum authority has defended its new Australian history course, saying Western and Judeo-Christian heritage is 'clearly dealt with'.

THE national curriculum authority has defended its new Australian history course, saying the nation's Western and Judeo-Christian heritage is "clearly dealt with".

Former prime minister John Howard reignited the history wars last night with a speech describing the curriculum as "unbalanced, lacking in priorities and quite bizarre".

He said it marginalised the Judeo-Christian ethic, while the nation's Western heritage was "conspicuously absent".

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority said today the new subjects were approved by state and territory education ministers and were not the "Australian government's curriculum".

"The new curriculum sets Australian history in a broad context by having students pay attention to what was happening elsewhere in the world," ACARA chairman Barry McGaw said.

"This does not prejudice our western and Judeo-Christian heritage.

"Their influences on Australian culture and our legal practice and political systems are clearly dealt with."

The history curriculum is scheduled to be implemented in most states by the end of 2013.

But, delivering the inaugural Sir Paul Hasluck lecture in Perth, Mr Howard called on state education ministers to do something about the curriculum.

He and opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne have declared the role of Western civilisation is a crucial element in Australian history and must be properly taught in high school.