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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-26 Daily Xml
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TEACHERS DISPUTE

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): Is the Premier's media unit being used to conduct a deliberate campaign around its teachers dispute position designed to diminish the public standing and status of the teaching profession in order to create an atmosphere of conflict and public mistrust?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:44): Can I just say this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —we have offered the teachers a $526 million pay rise—526 million reasons why this dispute should be solved. We have been prepared to go before the industrial commission and abide by the umpire's decision. We are prepared to do so; why won't the union? Again, I get back to this simple point: teachers can run their classrooms, principals can run their schools, but the Minister for Education—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —is going to run—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —the school system in this state, not the union. I do not care what union it is, this union is not going to run the education of our kids. What we saw in the last week or so is their trying to play politics with the lives of students and the livelihoods of their parents. I think that the union is in danger of causing this wonderful profession severe damage in the community. We are prepared to support teachers. We are prepared to offer them a $526 million pay rise. My message to the union is: rather than the games of last week where you actually compromised and then reversed your compromise and tried to play around in the court and in the commission, pack in the nonsense; do it for the kids. Why do it for the kids? At this critical time of the year the events of last week are simply outrageous.

I have enormous respect for teachers. My wife was a high school teacher, my daughter is training to be a teacher, and I am really proud that she is, but this union is not going to run the education system in South Australia.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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