Page 2094 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 21 June 2011
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negotiating the detail of the government offer with the Australian Education Union to deliver these new salaries and these new career paths. We are doing so in good faith.
I am hopeful that the negotiations will be successfully concluded soon and that there will be a way forward to reward our fantastic classroom teachers with fantastic careers. The 2011-12 budget includes funding allocated to deliver this election commitment. I look forward to the support of the Canberra Liberals and, indeed, the ACT Greens for this budget initiative to ensure that we are able to attract and retain the best quality classroom teachers in our public education system.
MS PORTER: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Thank you. Is the minister aware of community views with regard to these and other actions to deliver better educational outcomes for ACT students?
MR BARR: I am, and the government’s drive to improve education in this city has widespread support from the community. The community wants our education system to adapt to the times and to ensure that all young Canberrans get the best possible education. And they want the Assembly to cooperate to ensure that this can occur.
That is why so many community groups have joined us in the development of Excellence and enterprise. These include the Council of P&C Associations, the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Consultative Group, the Australian Education Union, the Australian National University, the University of Canberra and the Youth Advisory Council, amongst other groups. These groups, and many more, engage with the government in the development of our plan to further improve secondary school education. I would like to take this opportunity to put on the record my thanks for the involvement of all of those organisations.
Of course, I am also aware of the views of those who purport to speak for the community in this place but who are in fact once again out of touch with the Canberra community. In his response to Excellence and enterprise, the shadow minister—that is, Mr Doszpot rather than Mr Hanson—trotted out the only policy that is evident on that side of the chamber. That is opposition for opposition’s sake. When talking on the ABC on 24 May, Mr Doszpot was given an opportunity to put forward a policy alternative. There was a long silence—a long and awkward silence—as Ross Solly pressed Mr Doszpot for one original idea. The one thing he did say was that we need a teaching profession that is adequately looked after and we need teachers that are totally motivated.
Mr Speaker, I look forward to the support of the Canberra Liberals for the ACT government’s reforms to the teacher career structure and the initiatives contained within the 2011-12 budget to enhance the professional development of teachers.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary, Ms Hunter?
MS HUNTER: Thank you. Minister, will you commit to addressing the deputy principals’ salaries, which are considerably behind those of their New South Wales
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