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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1928 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

We are at a stage in this dispute where discussions are continuing. We are seeking to get into the Industrial Relations Commission. I think the union's submission has to be in by the end of this week. There is to be a hearing on 10 July. I certainly hope that all sides want this dispute finished as soon as possible. It is a serious dispute. It has been going on for too long. The fact is that we are in the Industrial Relations Commission and we are talking, but there are bans that are hurting kids. What would be wrong with the Australian Education Union lifting these bans and the industrial processes continuing? At the end of the day, whatever happens, our teachers are going to get a pay rise. That is going to happen. The dispute will end.

Mrs Carnell: They could have had one three months ago.

MR STEFANIAK: As the Chief Minister says, they could have had one three months ago. At the end of the day they are going to get a pay rise, and no-one is begrudging them that. As Education Minister, Mr Moore, I certainly do not begrudge them that. Teachers in our system do a hell of a lot of work, and it is valued by all of us in this Assembly. We live in very difficult times. That seems to have been accepted to an extent by all the other unions. The AEU has to realise the extent of the difficulties faced by this Government. Despite that fact, however, no-one is disputing that their members will in fact be getting a pay rise.

My understanding is that, in the last couple of weeks, the union has finally accepted that there are a number of things on the productivity side which are actually worth looking at and which they could actually do. We may well be starting to get somewhere. There is no valid reason why the AEU should not lift the bans that affect our kids. It is not going to affect the final outcome one way or the other. There will be a final outcome, be it an arbitrated one or an agreed one. The dispute will finish. All these bans do is affect our students. Most people involved have had enough. I think the best thing this Assembly can do is not pass Mr Berry's motion but pass my amendment and accept my suggestion that the bans be lifted. If that occurred, it would be of great assistance in ending this dispute.

Much has been made of the term "voluntary work". Teachers' annual salaries, of course, cover work performed outside the core teaching hours. Mr Berry quoted from a letter to the editor. I would simply quote from a former teacher who, whilst very supportive of her colleagues getting a pay rise - and she makes a number of interesting points in relation to that - also says in the last few sentences:

I do not argue with their right to take such action. However, I believe it would be more effective to replace "voluntary" by "out-of-class", reflecting a more professional approach.

I think that is a pretty valid comment. Mr Speaker, contrary to what Mr Berry might think, the Government is certainly doing what it can to bring this dispute to an end. I would hope that there can be quicker progress in making that happen. If we cannot get anywhere with the union, we will be doing all we can to ensure that the commission deals with this matter as quickly as is possible. The action by the P and C can only help in that regard. I again urge members to vote for the amendment.

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