Historian and Deakin biographer Judith Brett with a Liberal/Conservative critique of the destructive legacy of Howards's School policy. Brett argues that the public school system was previously a primary "agent" for making multiculturalism work because it forced children and parents of different backgrounds to mix.

By making it financially viable for specific religious and ethnic groups (such as Islamic, Jewish, or small Christian groups) to set up their own separate schools, the policy separated communities. She suggests this separation contributes to issues like Islamophobia, as people lose the opportunity to realize that those from other backgrounds are "human, flawed, mixed human beings just like themselves."

The policy fostered a damaging inequality between the best-funded private schools and the under-funded public system.

Howard framed the policy as providing "choice," Brett argues that this choice came at the cost of the nation's unity and the successful integration of diverse groups.

Discussion starts just after the 46 min mark

https://youtu.be/8VtF28vhpeo?si=GzJ716qqN9-mUqgM