❓ Mr Rundle questions teacher wellbeing and pay, citing compensation claims and low salaries. The Minister refutes the premise, highlighting initiatives to support teachers and disputing salary claims.
AnsweredQoN 687Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS —
TEACHER WELLBEING
687. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Insurance Commission
of Western Australia's 2023 annual report, which shows that WA state
school teachers made up nearly half of the state's compensation claims,
and the fact that our incredible and dedicated teaching staff are some of the lowest paid in the country, despite the
government's $4.2 billion surplus. Considering WA teachers and
principals are among the lowest paid in the country and with teacher assistants
being paid as little as $28 an hour, when will the minister practically
demonstrate their value and increase their pay?
TEACHER WELLBEING
687. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Insurance Commission
of Western Australia's 2023 annual report, which shows that WA state
school teachers made up nearly half of the state's compensation claims,
and the fact that our incredible and dedicated teaching staff are some of the lowest paid in the country, despite the
government's $4.2 billion surplus. Considering WA teachers and
principals are among the lowest paid in the country and with teacher assistants
being paid as little as $28 an hour, when will the minister practically
demonstrate their value and increase their pay?
AnswerView source ↗
I
do not think the member for Roe has the premise of his question correct.
Teachers do not tell me that increasing pay will reduce their stress.
Teaching is a stressful profession. Teaching is hard. But teaching is also a great
profession. I am a former teacher. The member for Hillarys and the member for
Collie–Preston are former teachers, and I am sure there are others
here.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. Johnston : And the
Speaker.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Of course—the
Speaker! They would all say that teaching is hard and teaching is stressful,
but it is a great profession. This is not a new issue. Back in 1987, there was
a report by a joint committee inquiry into teacher
stress appointed by the Minister for Education; Planning in Western Australia.
There has always been teacher stress. That is not new. It will never go
away. However, what we are doing as a government, and what I am doing as a minister,
is trying to help and support teachers. We have instigated many, many
initiatives in that respect. As I mentioned yesterday, I commissioned the
department to conduct a red tape review to reduce the red tape that teachers
and principals have to administer. Wherever I go throughout Western Australia I
am told that teachers and principals are incredibly pleased that I have
instigated that.
Some time ago I also announced
enhanced antiviolence measures. We told the principals and teachers, ''We
have your back.'' Every principal I have
spoken to since that day, and the unions, have said, ''Thank you,
minister. Thank you, Cook Labor government, for supporting us and having
our back.'' We want to instigate measures to try to alleviate online and
face-to-face abuse. In 1987 we did not have online abuse. That has been one of
the greatest problems that teachers and
principals have to deal with—that is, online abuse by parents. I made
it quite clear in the antiviolence measures that I announced that we
will not stand for that anymore. Another thing that teachers have to deal with—I had an education forum in
the electorate of Hillarys yesterday—are emails. We know that as
members of Parliament we get emails
at all times of the night and even early morning. I am speaking to teaching
professionals about that and what would be the expectation. I look
forward to introducing some measures with respect to that.
The government is undertaking many
measures to support our teachers. Going back to the premise of the member's
question about pay and stress and saying that WA teachers are the lowest paid
of their profession in Australia, he is wrong. Graduate teachers are the third
highest paid in Australia. Senior teachers are the second highest paid.
You are very wrong. Get your facts
right!
do not think the member for Roe has the premise of his question correct.
Teachers do not tell me that increasing pay will reduce their stress.
Teaching is a stressful profession. Teaching is hard. But teaching is also a great
profession. I am a former teacher. The member for Hillarys and the member for
Collie–Preston are former teachers, and I am sure there are others
here.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. Johnston : And the
Speaker.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Of course—the
Speaker! They would all say that teaching is hard and teaching is stressful,
but it is a great profession. This is not a new issue. Back in 1987, there was
a report by a joint committee inquiry into teacher
stress appointed by the Minister for Education; Planning in Western Australia.
There has always been teacher stress. That is not new. It will never go
away. However, what we are doing as a government, and what I am doing as a minister,
is trying to help and support teachers. We have instigated many, many
initiatives in that respect. As I mentioned yesterday, I commissioned the
department to conduct a red tape review to reduce the red tape that teachers
and principals have to administer. Wherever I go throughout Western Australia I
am told that teachers and principals are incredibly pleased that I have
instigated that.
Some time ago I also announced
enhanced antiviolence measures. We told the principals and teachers, ''We
have your back.'' Every principal I have
spoken to since that day, and the unions, have said, ''Thank you,
minister. Thank you, Cook Labor government, for supporting us and having
our back.'' We want to instigate measures to try to alleviate online and
face-to-face abuse. In 1987 we did not have online abuse. That has been one of
the greatest problems that teachers and
principals have to deal with—that is, online abuse by parents. I made
it quite clear in the antiviolence measures that I announced that we
will not stand for that anymore. Another thing that teachers have to deal with—I had an education forum in
the electorate of Hillarys yesterday—are emails. We know that as
members of Parliament we get emails
at all times of the night and even early morning. I am speaking to teaching
professionals about that and what would be the expectation. I look
forward to introducing some measures with respect to that.
The government is undertaking many
measures to support our teachers. Going back to the premise of the member's
question about pay and stress and saying that WA teachers are the lowest paid
of their profession in Australia, he is wrong. Graduate teachers are the third
highest paid in Australia. Senior teachers are the second highest paid.
You are very wrong. Get your facts
right!
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