
Consent Counts
07.10.2025 - 07:17
Outlining the role and social value of specialist educators in Australia's high school Consent and Respectful Relationships (CRRE) curriculum.
Sexual violence is a major part of Australia’s national challenge with gender-based violence
Australia faces a major, systemic issue in the form of gender-based violence, with sexual violence being a significant component.
In 2023, there were over 36,000 reported victim-survivors of sexual assault, the highest rate recorded across 31 years of data. The majority, 84%, of these victim-survivors were female.
The impact of this violence has strong and long-lasting effects, causing great harm to families, communities, and society at large.
Australian high schools can benefit from specialist support to deliver highly effective CRRE
From 2023, consent education was made a mandatory element of school curriculums across Australia. This was a promising step towards ensuring universal access to consent education. However, work still needs to be done. The ability to deliver practical and effective consent education for adolescents can vary across schools, with teachers already dealing with large workloads and schools needing a flexible curriculum to cater to community needs.

Specialist educators like Consent Labs are complementary to school-based learning – helping schools to drive lasting, widespread behavioural change through evidence-based curriculum and engaging delivery.
Consent Labs’ approach to CRRE has lasting impacts on students, teachers and parents
Consent Labs’ educational program addresses topics that are particularly relevant for young people. A survey of students aged 12 and above who had participated in a Consent Labs program showed a 20 percentage-point uplift in knowledge and confidence about issues of consent after a workshop. Meanwhile, 76% of students reported learning something practical that they can incorporate into their day-to-day life.


Improvement was also evident among educators and parents. 91% of educators considered specialist providers like Consent Labs important.
Consent Labs delivered $5.7M in lifetime benefits in FY25, at a return on investment of 3.48:1
Consent Labs produces a broad range of social benefits through the delivery of its CRRE programs, with a social return on investment (SROI) of 3.48:1. This implies that every $1 invested in Consent Labs produces $3.48 in social benefits.

The primary benefit stems from lasting impacts on students and society, who benefit from improved relationships and reduced rates of sexual harassment and violence. Students and society receive 81% of total benefits ($2.83 per dollar invested). Ancillary benefits include reduced burdens on educators and schools ($0.38), skill development and improved relationships for program facilitators ($0.06), and reduced caregiving responsibilities for parents and carers ($0.21).
Read the full report here.
Read our latest posts

Prevention pays: Cutting the cost of dental hospitalisations
Outlining the scale, impact and solutions to preventable dental hospitalisations in NSW.
17 Oct, 2025

Unlocking the productivity dividend of digital government in New Zealand
Our latest research in collaboration with Microsoft examines how cloud infrastructure can unlock substantial productivity gains for the New Zealand Government. This study reveals that the Government could unlock $360 million a year in fiscal savings and productivity gains to 2035 through public cloud's efficient use of IT labour and infrastructure. We find that government agencies can reduce their IT budgets by 12 to 25 per cent through 2035, while delivering enhanced cybersecurity, operational resilience, and service delivery across the public sector.
15 Oct, 2025

Bridging the gap: the opportunity for Australian pension capital in the UK and Europe
In partnership with IFM Investors and Super Members Council, Mandala has developed a new report highlighting the growing role of Australia’s pension capital in the United Kingdom and Europe. This builds on the landmark report, 'Going Global: Unlocking the growth potential of Australian pension capital', released earlier this year by the same partnership. The UK and European Union (EU) together represent the second-largest international destination for Australian pension capital after the US.
15 Oct, 2025

Small Business, Big Opportunity: How AI is transforming hiring and unlocking talent
Our latest research in collaboration with LinkedIn examines how AI-enabled hiring can address persistent workforce challenges facing Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and operationalise a 'skills-first' approach that prioritises a person’s capabilities over traditional proxies such as degrees or past job titles. Through case studies, product examples and data insights, this report shows how a responsible use of AI can open talent pathways, reduce bias in hiring and create a more inclusive future of work.
15 Oct, 2025