Premier Rockliff
and Education Minister Roger Jaensch have today continued their shambolic stance
on school staff receiving the pay and conditions they need to improve learning.
The Premier and
Education Minister have both called yesterday’s action ‘irresponsible’ but what
is really irresponsible is ignoring workforce pleas to better support Tasmanian
students and lift education outcomes.
This is a
government that is incapable of taking responsibility and instead would rather
disrespectfully blame hardworking school staff, who are at their wits end.
Premier Rockliff
has claimed that Australian Education Union members, who are literally
thousands of dedicated school staff, had no right to strike as the next salary
increase is not due until March 2023. This is despite Premier Rockliff issuing
an ultimatum that negotiations needed to be finalised by 1 December this year.
It is blatantly
clear that this Premier does not realise that yesterday’s action was about much
more than wages, despite teachers, firefighters, health workers and many other
public sector workers making that painfully clear.
This is a Liberal Government that clearly does not understand the plight of our students and the people educating them. It is well beyond time Premier Rockliff got his priorities right.
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Education
