❓ The Minister for Education addresses proposed industrial action by teachers, highlighting the government's pay offer and criticising the union's leadership and opposition's stance. The matter is before the Industrial Relations Commission.
AnsweredQoN 301Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS — PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Can the minister please update the house on the proposed industrial action by the State School Teachers’ Union and is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN
Can the minister please update the house on the proposed industrial action by the State School Teachers’ Union and is he aware of any other views? Mr M. McGOWAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for this question. The state government and I have an enormous respect for our state schoolteacher workforce. We have a wonderful workforce in our public schools around Western Australia. To recognise that, we want to ensure that our workforce in state schools around Western Australia is the best paid of that of any state of Australia. That is the reason we put on the table a pay rise of between 13.6 and 22 per cent, depending upon seniority and location. That would have meant that by February 2011, after nine years’ service, an average classroom teacher in Perth would have been paid $84 400. On top of that, teachers in a third of the schools would have had allowances payable of between $3 000 and $20 000. We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for this question. The state government and I have an enormous respect for our state schoolteacher workforce. We have a wonderful workforce in our public schools around Western Australia. To recognise that, we want to ensure that our workforce in state schools around Western Australia is the best paid of that of any state of Australia. That is the reason we put on the table a pay rise of between 13.6 and 22 per cent, depending upon seniority and location. That would have meant that by February 2011, after nine years’ service, an average classroom teacher in Perth would have been paid $84 400. On top of that, teachers in a third of the schools would have had allowances payable of between $3 000 and $20 000. We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
I thank the member for this question. The state government and I have an enormous respect for our state schoolteacher workforce. We have a wonderful workforce in our public schools around Western Australia. To recognise that, we want to ensure that our workforce in state schools around Western Australia is the best paid of that of any state of Australia. That is the reason we put on the table a pay rise of between 13.6 and 22 per cent, depending upon seniority and location. That would have meant that by February 2011, after nine years’ service, an average classroom teacher in Perth would have been paid $84 400. On top of that, teachers in a third of the schools would have had allowances payable of between $3 000 and $20 000. We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN replied: I thank the member for this question. The state government and I have an enormous respect for our state schoolteacher workforce. We have a wonderful workforce in our public schools around Western Australia. To recognise that, we want to ensure that our workforce in state schools around Western Australia is the best paid of that of any state of Australia. That is the reason we put on the table a pay rise of between 13.6 and 22 per cent, depending upon seniority and location. That would have meant that by February 2011, after nine years’ service, an average classroom teacher in Perth would have been paid $84 400. On top of that, teachers in a third of the schools would have had allowances payable of between $3 000 and $20 000. We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
I thank the member for this question. The state government and I have an enormous respect for our state schoolteacher workforce. We have a wonderful workforce in our public schools around Western Australia. To recognise that, we want to ensure that our workforce in state schools around Western Australia is the best paid of that of any state of Australia. That is the reason we put on the table a pay rise of between 13.6 and 22 per cent, depending upon seniority and location. That would have meant that by February 2011, after nine years’ service, an average classroom teacher in Perth would have been paid $84 400. On top of that, teachers in a third of the schools would have had allowances payable of between $3 000 and $20 000. We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We have done some analysis that shows, when we compare our offer with what is on offer in Victoria and New South Wales, that the pay for the state schoolteachers in Western Australia would be better than that for those of all other Australian states. I have put this analysis onto the Department of Education and Training website. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We have been unable to reach an agreement with the union and this matter is now in arbitration, as directed by the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission. It is the best way to resolve this issue. It is inappropriate for the union leadership to be threatening industrial action when this matter is now before the Industrial Relations Commission for arbitration. The union has been poorly led in this regard. I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
I am also very concerned about the encouragement that the Liberal Party spokesperson on education has been giving to the union to undertake strike action that will affect students in classrooms around Western Australia whilst this matter is before arbitration. He was on television last night and all I can say is that his commentary in encouraging strike action in classrooms around Western Australia was disgraceful. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition to pull his spokesperson into line for doing that. I note that neither the opposition spokesperson on education nor the Leader of the Opposition has, in recent days, put on record what the Liberal Party would pay teachers. It is incumbent upon them to say what the Liberal Party would pay them. What would the Liberal Party pay teachers? Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr T. Buswell : Give us a briefing with the head of your department and all the figures—the total budget right down to the last cent—so that we can go through them with a fine toothcomb and then we will give you an idea. Will you do that? Is that a yes or a no? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
The SPEAKER : Herein is one of the great problems of encouraging interjections. We end up with thousands of them. It does not take us anywhere. Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, once again you are most wise. We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
We are now in the year leading up to an election and it is about time everyone put their cards on the table. We put our cards on the table to show what we would pay teachers in this state. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the member for Greenough to order. Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is about time the opposition put its cards on the table regarding what it would pay teachers rather than encouraging strike action without revealing what it would pay our teaching workforce.
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