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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1944 ..

Mr Moore: Along with the others?

MRS CARNELL: No. I am sorry. That was an offer that delivered 10.1 per cent, the same as for all other unions, and had only developmental activities, casual teacher rates, supervision of student teachers, outcomes and reporting, school-based management, using some - - -

Mr Moore: And how much is that for casual teachers?

MRS CARNELL: Down to the level of New South Wales.

Mr Moore: You actually cut people's salaries - $80 out of them - yes.

MRS CARNELL: No, not at all, Mr Moore. You know that that is not the case at all. But for all of that - c'est la vie - there are other issues we have put on the table as well. But those issues alone will produce the 3 per cent, which will give teachers the same increase as other people, right across the board in the ACT Government, have been willing to accept. So, we are not talking here about any draconian measures at all. Certainly, there have been some discussions about an increase of one hour in face-to-face teaching hours at high schools and colleges. We have no view about primary schools, because we perceive that the 22 hours that they do is sufficient now, even though the number of face-to-face teaching hours right across the board in the ACT is lower than that in the other States; but we understand that our system is somewhat different.

So, all of those issues need to be taken into account when we look at this issue. Look at the facts, as they stand. The ACT Government has put on the table a number of offers now - permutations and combinations of all of the above - which produce an increase of 10.1 per cent or above, depending on which of those issues you put down. We are continuing to talk. In fact, I had a meeting with the teachers union last week. We discussed a number of issues. Mr Moore indicates that we achieved nothing at that meeting. I am disappointed that that is the view of the teachers union.

Mr Moore: No, I did not say "nothing".

MRS CARNELL: He said "very little" or "almost nothing" - whatever it was; something like that.

Mr Moore: "Micro" was the word I used.

MRS CARNELL: "Micro", I am sorry; it was a very tiny, weeny bit. There might even be meetings today with the teachers union. So, meetings are continuing. We are attempting to come up with a result. Obviously, if we cannot reach any solution by using the meetings and all the things that are happening now and have happened over the last six months, then arbitration is the obvious answer. That is the appropriate approach when all else has failed, when it is simply impossible to progress the issue via discussions. Mr Berry said, "Rubbish!". The reality is that that is exactly the system he has always supported in the past. When disputes get to a stage where you simply cannot progress them at the negotiation stage, you go to an independent arbiter.

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