❓ The Minister for Education and Training responds to concerns about a potential teacher shortage, disagreeing with the claims and criticising the teachers' union's industrial action and demands for a 30% pay rise. The Minister highlights government efforts to address shortages in specific subject areas and accuses the union of intransigence and poor leadership.
AnsweredQoN 1104Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I note claims by the Australian Education Union that Western Australia is headed for a critical shortage of teachers over the next decade. Does the minister agree with those claims, and does the current enterprise bargaining agreement offer have a role to play in attracting and retaining teachers? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern River for his question. I am sure that the member, being the Claremont supporter that he is, will recognise that I wearing a Subiaco tie. I am sure he will join with the rest of the House in wishing Subiaco the best for the West Australian Football League grand final, knowing as he would, as a Claremont supporter, that it is 15 years since Subiaco thrashed Claremont in its last grand final victory. With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Southern River for his question. I am sure that the member, being the Claremont supporter that he is, will recognise that I wearing a Subiaco tie. I am sure he will join with the rest of the House in wishing Subiaco the best for the West Australian Football League grand final, knowing as he would, as a Claremont supporter, that it is 15 years since Subiaco thrashed Claremont in its last grand final victory. With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
I thank the member for Southern River for his question. I am sure that the member, being the Claremont supporter that he is, will recognise that I wearing a Subiaco tie. I am sure he will join with the rest of the House in wishing Subiaco the best for the West Australian Football League grand final, knowing as he would, as a Claremont supporter, that it is 15 years since Subiaco thrashed Claremont in its last grand final victory. With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Southern River for his question. I am sure that the member, being the Claremont supporter that he is, will recognise that I wearing a Subiaco tie. I am sure he will join with the rest of the House in wishing Subiaco the best for the West Australian Football League grand final, knowing as he would, as a Claremont supporter, that it is 15 years since Subiaco thrashed Claremont in its last grand final victory. With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
I thank the member for Southern River for his question. I am sure that the member, being the Claremont supporter that he is, will recognise that I wearing a Subiaco tie. I am sure he will join with the rest of the House in wishing Subiaco the best for the West Australian Football League grand final, knowing as he would, as a Claremont supporter, that it is 15 years since Subiaco thrashed Claremont in its last grand final victory. With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
With regard to whether I agree with those claims, of course I do not. Yesterday’s turnout across the State was something like 40 per cent of the total teaching population. I think that was a very poor response to the union’s campaign. One possibility that looms as a disincentive for people who may be considering a teaching career - it is referred to in both The Australian and The West Australian today - is the extended irresponsible and unnecessary industrial action called by the leadership of the State School Teachers Union of WA. That is enough to put off anyone wanting to take up a teaching career. The sooner the union pulls in its head, shows a bit of leadership and gets its members to accept what is a very good offer, the sooner the possibility of any shortage of teachers is likely to disappear. The actions of the union are reprehensible. The union has done itself a disservice and it has done all teachers a disservice. I think schoolteachers around Western Australia will be under a degree of pressure today from the community, because the finger will be pointed at them and they will be asked whether they are really serious in disrupting schools and demanding a 30 per cent pay rise and all the other conditions that go with that. I do not believe the average teacher will be able to look a member of the public in the eye, particularly a parent, and say, “Yes, I am serious”, because, to mention just one thing, the teachers union leadership has indicated that it is not serious about a 30 per cent pay rise. There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
There are shortages in some areas of teaching in Western Australia, and we have spoken about them in debate in this place. Those shortages are in languages other than English, technology and enterprise, and science and maths. With the support of the Premier, through scholarships and various other incentives that we have put in place, we are working to overcome those shortages for the good of all students across Western Australia. We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
We have arrived at a situation in which the teachers union is being absolutely intransigent in its demands. The union came to us demanding 30 per cent. We offered three per cent over three years. We took a very big step forward. We improved the offer considerably. We shortened it to two and a half years and provided all sorts of incentives. The value of the offer that we put to the teachers union initially was $175 million. The current offer on the table is worth $308 million. However, on radio today the vice-president of the teachers union said that the Government is intransigent and, if the Government remains intransigent, it will encourage further industrial action. The members of the union must take a stand against this sort of unfocused and irresponsible leadership. One of the big problems, as the editorial in The West Australian says today, is that there is no direction in this union. There is absolutely no leadership. It is very difficult for the Government to deal with the union. The offer before the union is very good. The teachers union leadership has said to me that this is a very good offer. The disruption that the union is encouraging in the community will not be left to drift. The union has a very short time in which to show some leadership and to show that it is capable of doing what it indicated clearly to me that it was going to do. If the union does not do that, then someone will have to do it for it. Someone will have to show some leadership towards its members. This Government will not allow our students to go into the very important fourth term of school with the threat of continued disruption. No Government will stand by and let that happen. That is the challenge for the teachers union. It has only a short time to come to its senses and stop acting like the old militant trade union leaderships did in the 1970s. It must enter the real world - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: It must do that to avoid unnecessary disruption in our schools. The State School Teachers Union of WA has a proud history. The current attitude its leadership is taking is doing a grave disservice to that history and to all Western Australian schoolteachers. Most importantly, it is threatening further disruption to our children in our schools. Our children should not be held as hostages in pursuit of the union’s ridiculous, unwarranted pay claim, and they will not be.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.