Fighting the Tide: Entry Education's Two-Pronged Defense

Faced with an existential threat, Entry Education did not retreat. Instead, it launched a robust counter-offensive, a two-pronged defense aimed at immediate business continuity and long-term narrative control. The first move was tactical and decisive. By filing an appeal with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) in January 2025, the company secured an "indefinite stay" on ASQA's cancellation order, a crucial victory that allowed it to continue operating without restriction.

The Narrative Counter-Strike

Simultaneously, Entry Education initiated a public relations campaign to reframe the entire conflict. In a public "Response to article," the company's founder disputed ASQA's findings and crafted a powerful counter-narrative: this is not about compliance; it is about competition. The company alleged that the entire investigation was instigated by competitors—specifically, the Real Estate Institutes from four different states, which also operate as RTOs. The claim was simple and potent: these legacy institutions, threatened by Entry Education's success, had "hijacked and abused" the regulator's public "tip off" line to weaponize a government agency against a rival.

This narrative is compelling because it taps into a classic archetype: the disruptive innovator being crushed by a fearful establishment. In this telling, Entry Education is not the villain but the victim. The company further deflected blame by suggesting a lack of clear guidance from ASQA on complex modern issues like AI and contract cheating, portraying the regulatory action as unfair targeting. This strategy aimed to control the narrative, transforming a story of alleged misconduct into one of market persecution and regulatory overreach.