Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Greens proudly stand with the Australian Education Union, teachers, and support staff who stopped work and rallied around the state this morning.
It’s a sure sign the situation in schools is untenable when dedicated school staff feel forced to walk off the job.
Staff in schools are doing their best to deliver quality education for our children, but they’re being held back by a Liberal Government who won’t pay them properly or provide the resources they need to give young Tasmanians the best possible education.
Education staff are crying out for more assistance for new teachers, more in-class support, more school psychologists, a commitment to filling all staff vacancies, and of course fair pay and conditions for all educators and support staff.
The Liberals aren’t listening. It’s been fourteen months of ‘negotiation’ undertaken in so little apparent faith, educators and school support staff have now taken strike action.
Instead of investing in tackling the significant challenges in schools, Jeremy Rockliff wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds on an unnecessary stadium.
It’s a betrayal of education staff, and of Tasmanian children who deserve a high quality education.
The Premier and the Education Minister didn’t even bother showing up to the rally to explain themselves. What an insult to the hardworking teachers and support staff who are holding the education system together.
It’s well past time for the Liberal government to start listening to those working in schools, and to deliver the resources and reforms needed to ensure young Tasmanians get the best possible education, delivered by staff who feel valued and supported.