A plan to implement automated essay scoring for NAPLAN writing tests in Australia was branded "a direct attack on the teaching profession" and a reward for producing "verbose gibberish".

ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) had strongly advocated for the automated marking of NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) writing tests, claiming it was as reliable as human markers.

However, the proposal faced significant backlash from teachers' unions, who launched a campaign against automated essay scoring. NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes described it as "a direct attack on the teaching profession" and retired US professor Les Perelman, commissioned by the NSW Teachers Federation, warned that computers would reward "verbose gibberish" and fail to properly assess creativity, irony, and artistic writing.

The limitation, Perelman argued, could potentially lead to students being rewarded for producing lengthy, nonsensical content rather than demonstrating true writing proficiency.

New South Wales (NSW) Education Minister Rob Stokes strongly opposed the initiative, describing it as "a direct attack on the teaching profession" and asserting that it had no place in NSW schools.