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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 104 ..
MRS CARNELL (continuing):
We will be very happy, Mr Moore, to have the same sort of discussions as we had last night to come up with offers that are specific to individual unions.
Mr Berry: Even if they do not lift the bans? So the bans do not matter now?
MRS CARNELL: Yes, they do.
MR KAINE: I have a question for the Chief Minister. I noted in this morning's press that a revised enterprise bargaining offer had been put to Canberra's teachers, and the Chief Minister referred to that in her answer to the last question. Can the Chief Minister inform the Assembly how this revised offer came about - it seems a big step from yesterday - and also provide the details of the offer that has now been made?
MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Kaine. Members will be aware that, during that incredibly time-wasting and, I think, abortive debate on a censure motion yesterday, I made the point that the Government was willing to negotiate with any union looking for agency-specific enterprise agreements. Members will also recall that during that debate Mr Moore challenged me to make good on that offer and meet with him to discuss a way forward with regard to teachers. Fairly obviously, from press reports this morning and other things, that meeting took place last night. It involved me, Mr Moore, Mr Stefaniak and senior officials.
At that meeting it was resolved that a revised offer would be put to Canberra's teachers. The offer is for a 3.2 per cent pay increase based on productivity improvements within the Education Department, plus the 4.3 per cent already offered to government employees. The reason we went to 4.3 per cent rather than 4.1 per cent was that at this stage teaching bans have not actually cost the taxpayer directly in dollar terms. That makes a total of 7.5 per cent, or roughly $60 a week, for Canberra teachers. The productivity measures on which the 3.2 per cent component is based include undertaking professional development activities during the paid stand-down time, discontinuing pupil-free days - - -
Mr Berry: You still have to pay them.
MRS CARNELL: Adjusting pay rates for casual relief teachers, and requiring teachers - - -
Mr Berry: What a joke!
Mr Kaine: It is feeding time at the zoo again, Mr Speaker.
MRS CARNELL: Requiring teachers to supervise student teachers as part of their duties.
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