Unlike Canada and South Africa, Australia has not completed a national Truth-telling of First Nations histories. As a consequence, the curriculum is at risk of excluding Truth-telling, leading to indoctrination of past injustices as part of school learning. This article critically examines the use of, and need for, Truth-telling language in the Australian Curriculum.

Eighteen Truth-telling terms were identified from the 2018 Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Instances of Truth-telling terms were then identified in the curriculum. 

The paper finds there are currently only three occurrences of Truth-telling terms in the mandated curriculum across F-10. Therefore, in Australia, many students are at risk of being indoctrinated into a version of history in the curriculum where Truth-telling is optional. The authors consider Truth-telling to be essential in the mandatory Content Descriptors of the Australian Curriculum to realise the moral and political purposes of education.