Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff should scrap the Liberal Government’s wage policy and show teachers some respect with a real pay rise if he is truly focused on recruitment and retainment of the best teachers, Shadow Education Minister Josh Willie said.
“After launching a disrespectful campaign against teachers over the weekend by telling parents to lobby teachers in classrooms instead of talking about their child’s learning, Minister Rockliff is disingenuous by refusing to budge on the Government’s wage policy today,” Mr Willie said.
“If Minister Rockliff was focused on having the best teachers in our schools he’d break ranks with Treasurer Gutwein, who’s calling the shots, and advocate for the profession.
“Minister Rockliff has been complicit during the Government’s disgraceful wage negotiations, which were supposed to be concluded in 2018.
“Minister Rockliff is happy for Tasmanian teachers to be among the worst-paid in the country yet expects them to undertake huge workloads.
“Even after the Liberals’ embarrassing back-down on a two per cent wage cap, Jeremy Rockliff is still asking teachers to take a real pay cut.
“The Government must negotiate in good faith.”
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Education Minister
