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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 8 Hansard (19 August) . . Page.. 2840 ..

MR PRATT (continuing):

I have been contacted by a number of teachers throughout the ACT who are disgusted that no offer was made to them, as promised by the government, despite much publicity that an EBA would be put on the table on time. On 31 July union delegates were told that an offer would be made on Tuesday 5 August-six calendar days later-which would have left three working days before the end of the existing EBA. At the time I felt compelled to write to the Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Katy Gallagher, to express concerns that had been put to me by the teachers union. I called on the government to make an offer by close of business on 1 August.

Regrettably, Ms Gallagher made it clear on Wednesday that she would not be involved in negotiations with the unions and teachers. The fact that she did not intervene to resolve this issue has heightened the likelihood of strike action by ACT teachers. Ms Gallagher, who has not taken control of or become involved in such an important issue, is not showing her department any leadership-the sort of leadership that was required at the eleventh hour. Teachers do not really like to strike as it impacts on their students. However, ACT teachers have been left with little or no choice due to the actions of the Labor Party-the so-called workers' party.

The previous Liberal government had no difficulty negotiating the last EBA. The last EBA that was negotiated allowed for a 12.5 per cent increase in teachers' salaries over a period of three years. That EBA also included an incentive program. Under a Liberal government that whole exercise was resolved with the support of 91 per cent of teachers and with no strike action. This Labor government is pushing union delegates and teachers as far as it can. I do not think that the government's late response is a deliberate ploy; I think I know Ms Gallagher better than that. One would have to assume, though, that Ms Gallagher and her colleagues wanted to ensure that teachers did not have much time within which to complain about any offer.

I, and members of the community, believe that the Labor government has kicked teachers in the teeth. Union delegates, who put their claims on the table in February, deserve to have an offer put to them well before 31 July to allow sufficient time for proper and democratic negotiations. Instead, they were kicked in the teeth by a Labor government that prides itself on promoting public education and its teachers. I cannot come to grips with that. On 14 August teachers rejected the second pay offer of 4.5 per cent that was made to them. They continue to feel abandoned. Government schoolteachers have a right to feel let down by this Labor government. This government's second pay offer still did not meet the needs of our teachers.

After voting down the ACT government's second pay offer teachers have been forced to call a strike either this month or next month. Clearly, teachers are disappointed and frustrated with the government. I have been inundated with emails and phone calls from teachers and parents who are concerned about their future and the future of their children and the education system in Canberra. I wish to point out a cruel contrast. A headline on the front page of the Canberra Times on 15 August states that teachers are going to strike as a result of an unsatisfactory pay offer. I recall seeing another article on the same page in the Canberra Times about the property boom that resulted in a $115 million surplus last financial year.

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