LNP's "hidden agenda" on education

Prior to being elected in 2012, the LNP made a number of promises relating to education. Once in government, however, the party unleashed a seemingly unending stream of additional changes which had never been tested at the ballot box.

The government proudly publishes regular updates on its election commitments on education and training (http://origin-www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/plans-and-progress/progress/govt-commitment-progress-jun-14/dete.aspx), yet these updates remain silent about the many things it has done which were never mentioned during the election campaign.

As we approach another state election, it is important that members are reminded of the continued attacks on our profession, the reduction or removal of funding from programs and the agenda revealed through Great Teachers=Great Results and the Costello Commission of Audit.

So here is just a sample of the government’s actions around education and training over the past two years that were never raised during the 2012 election campaign – the LNP’s hidden agenda.

  • Changes to IR legislation, including restrictions placed on QIRC during arbitration regarding government economic policy and anti-union measures such as political expenditure ballots for campaigning, registers of officers salaries, statements of interests and changes to right of entry provisions.
  • Stripping of teacher conditions, beginning with the removal of job security provisions from agreements, culminating in the award modernisation program.
  • Rejection of Gonski.
  • Staffing shortfall caused by loss of resource teacher allocation in secondary schools, changes to school staffing allocations methodology rounding provision, secondary temporary engagements not extended, resulting in staffing not keeping up with enrolments.
  • Closure of the Barrett Adolescent Centre, the Low Incidence Support Centre and five Queensland state schools.
  • Funding reduced or removed for a variety of programs, including Fanfare/MOST, Indigenous education programs, Get Set 4 Work, Queensland School for Travelling Show Children and the teacher exchange program.
  • Transfer of teacher housing to Department of Housing and Public Works.
  • Managing Employee Complaints Directive repealed, thereby abolishing an external review of a department’s decision not to grant a teacher a requested transfer.
  • Labour Day holiday moved to October.
  • Great Teachers= Great Results and its plans to introduce teacher rankings, performance bonuses and principal and deputy principal contracts.
  • Acceptance of Costello Commission of Audit recommendations that class sizes be removed from agreements and the end of the reasonableness test for transfers.
  • A TAFE EB offer attempting to strip working conditions, class sizes, leave provisions, overtime, hours of duty, classification structure and professional recognition. 
  • Legislation giving the Minister power to unilaterally determine TAFE teacher salaries and conditions.
  • “Great Skills, Real Opportunities” VET action plan and “Investing in Skills” funding model embracing contestable VET market, leading to TAFE redundancies and campus closures.
  • Removal of access to paid leave for trade union training.
  • QTU representation terminated on the QSA's replacement the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and principal recruitment panels.
  • Introduction of discipline audits.
  • Changes to Education (General Provisions) Act introducing Saturday detentions and community service consequences, despite industrial provisions prohibiting engagement of teachers on Saturdays.

Kate Ruttiman
Deputy General Secretary

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 8, 14 November 2014, p10