Teachers Dispute

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:16): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Treasurer and minister for industrial affairs a question about student report cards.

The PRESIDENT: I am trusting you here, the Hon. Mr Pangallo.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Sorry?

The PRESIDENT: I am trusting you here with this one.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: It is brief, Mr President. It is brief.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: It is brief, but you are eating up time by interrupting. It has been reported in the media today that some school students will be sent home in the next couple of weeks with report cards with subject grades given but no written comments to support them. This appears to be a deliberate measure by the teachers union, the Australian Education Union, and it ups the ante against the government over its bid for better pay and working conditions for members. Frustrated and disgruntled parents are calling for an end to the stalemate between the union and the state government. My questions to the Treasurer are:

1. Do you think it is appropriate that students are used as pawns in protracted enterprise bargaining negotiations between the state government and the teachers union?

2. Has the government requested the teachers union desist from such practice?

3. What is the latest development in the government's negotiation with the teachers union?

4. Do you see a deal being done with the teachers union in the foreseeable future?

Pretty short.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:17): I am delighted to receive that question from the Hon. Mr Pangallo. We are on a unity ticket on this particular issue. We speak on behalf, collectively, of the parents of South Australians, who collectively are expressing great concern, indeed in some cases outrage, that their children are being used as pawns in an industrial action by the union bosses of the teachers union. Yes, we have called on the union bosses to desist that particular form of industrial action. We have made it quite clear that that sort of industrial action, from the government's viewpoint, is unacceptable, but the union bosses have great control over some worksites, not all.

We have had the unfortunate circumstance in one particular school where one child came home to their parents with a comprehensive report card with commentary from his or her teacher, because that particular teacher was not a member of the teachers union, and the other sibling came back with a report card which had been, in essence—sanitised is not the right word, but which really only had the grading and no commentary at all, which is useful to the parents in terms of student progress. That was because that particular teacher, at the same school, same family, happened to be a member of the teachers union.

So I am delighted to join with the Hon. Mr Pangallo, a comrade in arms on this particular issue, in solidarity, opposing the actions of the union bosses and supporting the parents. What I can say in relation to this is that I am pleased that through the hard work of the Minister for Education and his hardworking officers and indeed the officers—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I'm not sure whether he might be able to hear these comments, but I hope if he can't, they are relayed to him. Together with the hardworking officers in Treasury, we are optimistic that there are some positive signs. After almost—whatever it is—15 months of singing Johnny Farnham songs and protesting, we have made it quite clear that the government has made a generous offer to teachers of 2.35 per cent and 3.35 per cent for principals and preschool directors.

We have talked to them about a significant increase in funding to assist teachers in supporting students in the classroom through a complexity allowance, which is additional support for teachers, because the teachers union indicated that was of great importance to them. It was not just about salary; it was about the conditions. We have heard that message loud and clear and we have indicated quite clearly that, whilst we don't have the capacity on behalf of taxpayers to offer 3 and 3½ per cent salary increases, we are prepared to provide additional support for hardworking teachers within the classroom who do need support.

We are great supporters of the hardworking teachers within our schools. We know they have a difficult challenge and we are hopeful that the more optimistic signs in recent days of increased intensive negotiations between the AEU leaders and education and Treasury officers may well lead to a positive resolution of this in the not-too-distant future.