AEU News Vol 15 Issue 1

v o l u m e 15 I i s s u e 1 I f e b r u a r y 2 0 0 9

cometogetherMelbourne hosts the world Indigenous education conference

TAFE agreement The year ahead Green scene

AEU

NEWS

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features

2009: Actions speak louder

Making the case for change

TAFE: How the deal was done

A big agenda shaping up on the national and state stages means a busy year ahead.

This year’s AEU Federal conference saw your union sharpening the case for better funding.

How the proposed TAFE agreement was reached — and why it took so long to arrive.

regulars

contactseditorial enquiries Nic Barnard tel (03) 9418 4841 fax (03) 9415 8975 email [email protected] enquiries Lyn Baird tel (03) 9418 4879 fax (03) 9415 8975 email [email protected]

AEU News is produced by the AEU Publications Unit: editor Nic Barnard | designers Lyn Baird, Peter Lambropoulos, Kim Flemingjournalist Rachel Power | editorial assistant Helen PrytherchPrintPost Approved: 349181/00616 ISSN: 1442–1321. Printed in Australia by GEON on Re Art Matt 100% Recycled Paper. Free to AEU members. Subscription rate: $60 per annum. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the AEU News are those of the authors/members and are not necessarily the official policy of the AEU (Victorian Branch). Contents © AEU Victorian Branch. Contributed articles, photographs and illustrations are © their respective authors. No reproduction without permission.

contentscover story

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AEU Victorian BranchBranch president: Mary BluettBranch secretary: Brian Henderson

AEU VIC head office address 112 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford, 3067 postal address PO Box 363, Abbotsford, 3067 tel (03) 9417 2822, 1800 013 379 fax 1300 658 078 web www.aeuvic.asn.au email [email protected]

country offices Ballarat (03) 5331 1155 | Benalla (03) 5762 2714 Bendigo (03) 5442 2666 | Gippsland (03) 5134 8844 Geelong (03) 5222 6633

COVER IMAGE: 2 DEADLy PHOTOGRAPHy Dean Ellis at WIPCE Traditional Welcome to Country Ceremony.

AEU

NEWS

6A river of good ideasSchools are at the forefront of community action on climate change. Our new regular column highlights the role AEU members are playing, starting with the award-winning Mildura West PS.

3 president’s report 25 on the phones

4 letters 27 safety matters

11 christina adams 29 international

19 member profile 30 culture

23 women’s focus 31 giveaways

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Wisdom and hopeMelbourne welcomed the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education with a celebration of tradition and an eye to the future.

membership dues — direCT debiT pAYmeNT dATes, 2009Banks, MECU & Building Societies1 January, 29 January, 26 February, 26 March, 23 April, 21 May, 18 June, 16 July, 13 August, 10 September, 8 October, 5 November, 3 December,31 December.

VTCu, Credit Cards15 January, 12 February, 12 March, 9 April, 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 30 July 27 August, 24 September, 22 October, 19 November, 17 December.

2 aeu news | february 2009

Aeu Victorian branch

REFUND POLICYDuring 2001, AEU branch council adopted the following policy

regarding refunds of membership dues when members resign or retire:

1. When a member lodges a resignation or retirement from the union, it will take effect from the date the letter is received or the date specified in the letter, whichever is the later date.

2. Where a member’s resignation or retirement from the union is received but not processed at the time, no disadvantage to the member will be applied when the resignation or retirement is processed.

3. Branch executive is authorised to vary this policy in exceptional circumstances and upon written request.

4. That this policy be highlighted in the AEU News in the first edition each year.

It is imperative that the union receive formal notification in writing when members resign from the union. This can be done by letter or email. All correspondence received is filed electronically so verifying claims of notification of resignation or retirement is a simple matter.

A related matter is other changes that effect membership dues. These include:• Change in time fraction• Expiration of contract• Leave without pay.

The above policy on resignation or retirement also applies to these situations. ◆

Words and actionsKevin Rudd’s $14.7 billion spending package for school infrastructure sees the Federal Government at last turning rhetoric into reality. It’s time for Victoria to follow suit.

THE Victorian and Federal govern-ments both say education is top

of their priority lists. Premier John Brumby and his ministers chant the mantra “Education is our number one priority” at every opportunity.

For Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his Deputy, Julia Gillard, it is the repeated promise of an “Education Revolution”.

Both governments face elections next year and will be judged by the community on their actions rather than their words.

Rudd’s election policies in 2007 did not look too revolutionary — laptops and tech wings do not a revolution make.

However, the recent announcement of the economic stimulus package, with $14.7 billion for what is being called Building the Education Revolution, is the first real indication that there is something on offer which is radically different to what has gone before.

Seventy per cent of this will go

to public schools — a major policy reversal from Rudd’s predecessor.

desperate needThere is a desperate need to upgrade the infrastructure of our public schools. The Victorian Government recognised this in 2006 when it launched the Victorian Schools Plan, aimed at spending $1.9bn by 2011 on rebuilds and modernisation. The Rudd economic stimulus package, coming on top of this, will give teachers and principals who have worked in substandard conditions for far too long a sense that things are finally beginning to change.

There is a need for government policies and resources which will renew our public schools after their deliberate neglect at a state level during the 1990s under Kennett and at a federal level during the late 90s and noughties during the Howard years.

They need resources which are commensurate with the very broad

student population which they serve.The resource debate will not go

away until the present inequities in funding are addressed. At the federal level, the November meeting of the Council of Australian Governments resulted in the first relative increase in funding for public schools since the mid 1990s, targeting disadvantage and primary education. The share of funding going to public schools across Australia will increase to 37.1% by 2011-12 (reversing the predicted further decrease to 34%.)

bottom of the leagueAt a state level the Victorian Government is still bottom of the states and territories league table in terms of its recurrent spending on public school students.

The recently published Review of Government Services indicated that in 2006-07, Victoria spent $1,096 per student less than the Australian average. And the state is slipping even further behind. Spending actually fell

from 92% of the national average in 2005–06 to 89%.

Against this backdrop, the May state budget needs to deliver our own “economic stimulus package” and central to this is education. Building on Rudd’s package, there is the opportunity to bring forward future budget allocations for new school infrastructure to further speed renewal and support employment.

However, additional resources must also be provided to support our schools, preschools and TAFEs to meet the needs of students.

The election countdown continues — and both governments will be judged on what they’ve done, not what they say. ◆

AEU Vic branch president

Alan Cooper, Geoff Allen & Staff

Level 3/432 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004

Visit us at www.retirevic.com.au

Alan Cooper, Geoff Allen & Staff are Authorised Representatives of Retirement Victoria and are the AEU’s preferred providers of retirement planning and services to AEU members.

Retirement Victoria Partnership ABN 13 409 340 986 AFSL 273316.

AEU PREFERRED PROVIDERS

APPOINTMENTS (03) 9820 8088

Alan Cooper, Geoff Allen & Staff

Level 3/432 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004

Visit us at www.retirevic.com.au

AEU PREFERRED PROVIDERS

TO RETIRE SUCCESSFULLY YOU NEED THE BEST ADVICE

Retirement Victoria advisers are acknowledged experts in State Super and have assisted hundreds of AEU members

and social security systems.

APPOINTMENTS (03) 9820 8088Alan Cooper, Geoff Allen & Staff are Authorised Representatives of Retirement Victoria and are the AEU’s preferred providers of retirement planning

and services to AEU members. Retirement Victoria Partnership ABN 13 409 340 986 AFSL 273316.

www.aeuvic.asn.au 3

Term 1 semiNArsCurrent market conditions make it more important than ever to obtain comprehensive, personalised financial advice. RV will hold retirement seminars at the AEU building at 10am on the following days: Saturday 7 March Tuesday 7 April (School Holidays)Bookings: Call Rhonda Webley on (03) 9418 4844

2009/10 Guide TO reTiremeNTThe latest edition of our Guide to Retirement will be available early in Term 2.

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Letters from members are welcome. Send to: aeu news, po box 363, abbotsford, 3067, fax (03) 9415 8975 or email [email protected]. Letters should be no more than 250 words and must supply name, workplace and contact details of the writer. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. Next deadline 4 March, 2009.

AusTrALiAN eduCATiON uNiON ViCTOriAN brANCh

eLeCTiON NOTiCeWorkplace Relations Act 1996

Nominations are called for:DELEGATES TO BRANCH CONFERENCE

To be elected by and from members of the Early Childhood sector, Primary sector, Secondary sector, TAFE and Adult Provision sector.

eLeCTiON OF WOmeN TO brANCh CONFereNCe The rules of the branch provide that the minimum number of women to be elected shall be 50 per cent of the number of persons to be elected from each region.

If the number of persons to be elected is an odd number, the minimum number of women to be elected shall be determined by reducing the total number of persons to be elected by one and taking 50 per cent of that number.

If the number of women candidates is less than the number of women to be elected, the remaining position or positions in question will be filled by a male candidate or candidates.

NOMINATIONS, which must be in writing and comply with the rules of the union, may be made anytime from 9 February 2009. They must reach me not later than 12.00 noon on Tuesday, 10 March 2009. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after this time.

NOMINATION FORMS are available, on request, from me or the Branch Office of the union.

ELECTORAL MATERIAL supplied by candidates for distribution with ballot papers shall be restricted to a maximum of 200 words per candidate and may include a passport size photograph. The material may include an indication of preference provided all candidates are shown in the order they appear on the ballot paper and there is a preference allocated to each candidate. Electoral material may be emailed to [email protected] but must reach my office or postal address not later than 12.00 noon on Tuesday, 17 March 2009.

ADDRESS FOR LODGING NOMINATIONSBy Post: Australian Electoral Commission, GPO Box 4382, Melbourne VIC 3001By Hand: Australian Electoral Commission, Level 8, 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000By Fax: (03) 9285 7149

BALLOT: The ballot, if required, will open on 6 April 2009 and close at 9.00am on Monday, 20 April 2009.Changed Address? Advise the Union now.NOTE: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the organisation or from me after the completion of the election.

Tony King, Returning Officer9 February 2009Tel: (03) 9285 7146

Trades Hall & Labour Councils

AeU DeLeGATeS 2009Expressions of interest are invited from financial members interested in being an AEU delegate to the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) or Regional Labour Councils.The following vacancies have to be filled: VTHC 19 Bendigo 4 Ballarat 4 Geelong 7 Gippsland 4 Goulburn Valley 4 North East & Border 4 South West 4 Mallee Murray 4Expressions of interest in writing or via email should be submitted by 4pm Wednesday 18 March to: John Cassidy, AEU Victorian Branch, 112 Trenerry Crescent, PO Box 363, Abbotsford, 3067.Fax: (03) 9417 6198, email: [email protected]

sector council vacanciesAll sector council vacancies

are now listed on the AEU website at www.aeuvic.asn.au

under “about us”.

Letters

lett

ers

A question of independenceTHANK you for publishing Rachel Power’s article, “Talking About Mental Health” (AEU News, Dec 2008). As one of several teachers coping with clinical depres-sion/anxiety disorder, I am well aware of the ignorance surrounding this illness.

Whilst your article provided some helpful contacts for referral services, I believe members need to be informed that some are more independent than others. Consider, for example, the following clause in a letter by the OSA Group (the employee assistance program for Department of Education and Early Childhood Development employees), when I asked them for a record of attendance:

“Due to the contractual arrangements OSA Group has entered into with Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, I am unable to provide you with any comments regarding the psychological impact of work-related issues in support of any claim against the workplace.”

Whilst I did find the OSA social workers excellent, ultimately I moved to other services.

— Louisa John-Krol, Clayton South

room at the inn?My NAME is Harry Turner, a retired teacher of math and business. My wife Mary-Ellen and I are visiting the Melbourne area from March 27 to April 01. Is there an educator who would be willing to host two Canadian visitors for those dates or a portion thereof? We were trying to arrange a hosting through the Educators Bed and Breakfast, but these plans fell through.

We would be very willing to return the favour in the future and host the Australian teachers in Canada if someone would be interested. I hope that this is not being presumptuous of me, but I thought it worth a try.

Harry [email protected]

British Columbia, Canada


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Nic Barnard AEU News

A MASSIVE rebuilding program for Victorian schools should be

accelerated to stimulate the economy and boost public education, the AEU has told the Brumby Government.

As the Rudd Government announced a $14.7 billion federal school building program, AEU branch president Mary Bluett said: “The State Government should bring forward its rebuilding and modernisation program — it’s money already committed, and it would act as an economic stimulus during the global financial crisis.”

The AEU has told the Government its other priorities should be to broaden the curriculum and vocational education and training options for

secondary schools in disadvan-taged areas; and boost literacy and numeracy programs in years 3-6 in primary schools with significant disadvantaged intakes.

That call was made all the more urgent by the release on February 4 of an Auditor-General’s report on literacy and numeracy which found that progress by students in early years were not being sustained.

Ms Bluett said the report showed that targeted funding on class sizes and early intervention in Prep–2 had been successful but needed to be spread to upper primary.

The other key message of the AEU’s budget submission is that government reforms will fail without adequate resources, including

time release and training for staff. Programs needing support include the Ultranet, the new early childhood framework and transition programs, the Wannik strategy for Indigenous students, and school reorganisation.

The AEU calls for an urgent review of salaries for disability instructors, who are undervalued, underpaid and face “high levels of assault and danger”.

Much of the submission concerns early childhood. It calls for preschool staff to be employed directly by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development — as school teachers are — and for pay parity with primary teachers.

It repeats the AEU’s call for free preschooling for all four year olds and

for disadvantaged three year olds, for preschools and other facilities to be co-located with schools, and for improved welfare support for schools. It also calls for early childhood teachers to be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, to raise the standing of the profession.

In TAFE it urges improved access to professional development to fill the gap left by TAFE directors who are failing to commit enough resources to workforce planning. It also raises alarm bells over plans to increase fees and introduce HECS-style loans. ◆

Copies of the AEU Budget Submission can be found at www.aeuvic.asn.au/professional.

Casual teachers have been told: Over to you now, as AEU members

vote on a new TAFE agreement.Ratification meetings are being

held on campuses across the state after the union’s TAFE councillors backed the proposed deal on January 30. Agreement with employers was reached in principle days before Christmas and the fine print hammered out over the summer.

As with last year’s schools agreements, a new pay structure

has helped TAFE teachers bust the Brumby Government’s 3.25% pay barrier. Teachers will get 17-26% over the lifetime of the deal — or 21-45% with increments.

Casual teachers — who make up six out of 10 of teachers — will gain the right to contract or ongoing employment if they teach 400 hours at any one institute in a year. The 320 hour limit on working at each TAFE has been lifted to 720 hours in an admission that the cap has failed

to stem the tide of casualisation and was leaving many teachers on below-poverty wages.

AEU TAFE vice president Gillian Robertson said sessional teachers were now the subject of a major recruitment drive. “It’s down to the casual teachers now. They’ve got it in their hands to change the course of casualisation in the TAFE system. If they’re prepared to stand up, we will be there alongside them.”

The agreement follows almost two

years of difficult negotiations, two statewide stopworks and a month of rolling four-hour strikes. ◆

Download the proposed agreement at www.aeuvic.asn.au/campaignsHow the deal was won: page 22

Brumby told: Boost building program

TAFE members vote on deal

www.aeuvic.asn.au 5

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Schools show lead on climate

THE AEU is to highlight the role schools are playing in tackling climate change — not only educating

students about the issues but in leading by example.The latest school census reveals that 94% of

Victorian government schools have put sustainability practices into their everyday operations, with many significantly reducing their energy and water usage.

Drawing on the huge number of initiatives already underway, the AEU is to set up a sustainability and climate change commission. It will bring together members active in climate change work and outside partners to draw up AEU policy and contribute to curriculum and professional development.

Climate change was high on the agenda at last month’s AEU federal conference. AEU Victorian vice president Meredith Peace said: “We have a lot of examples of students doing particular projects and ... not only changing how things are done (in their schools) but influencing decision-makers. That’s something important to build on.”

Peace added that the AEU had to lead by example and turn itself into a sustainable organisation. “It’s not good enough for us to sit back and not tackle the issues in our own organisations.”

Other speakers included Australian academic Geoffrey Evans. Cataloguing abuses such as the cyanide spill from the Romanian Baia Mare gold-mine, he told delegates: “Left to their own devices, business and especially mining industries will get away with murder.” Australia was one of the worst offenders for growth addiction, but the nation was fortunate to have a living example of sustainable practices in its Indigenous people, he said.

Conference also heard from Tony Maher, general president of the CFMEU miners’ union, who has been tasked with leading for the union movement on the issue. Contrary to expectations, Maher said, miners were fully behind the need for change — and opposed the industry’s demands for a bail-out.

He said climate change and carbon trading would lead to massive restructuring of the economy and unions must show leadership to remain relevant. ◆

— Nic BarnardMore on the federal conference: pages 20-21

MILDURA West Primary School is running out of space to display its litany of

environmental awards.Among the school’s proudest achievements

are Victoria’s Keep Australia Beautiful Proud Schools award, Waste Smart School of the year, the Rubbish Free Lunch “Hero” award and Resource Smart Schools’ Primary School of the year — and that’s just the tip of the compost heap.

Mildura West PS has been implementing environmental initiatives since 1996, when it committed to making global sustainability a key part of all its students’ education.

Teacher and AEU member Marion Vorwerk says the school wanted to give students “an oppor-tunity to make real decisions relevant to their lives and build connec-tions with the community.”

Practices such as recycling and water conservation give students a deeper understanding of their importance, she says. And by being part of the school’s everyday work, “they become an embedded way of life.”

Mildura West has set up a kerbside recycling collection, achieved near zero waste and makes the most of its proximity to the Murray River. Its Water Ambassador Team educates the community on the local issue of water pollution in the Murray, writing and performing plays and a dance piece

to show how water allocation affects the river red gums, as well as stencilling drains, and producing brochures for houseboat users.

Students are working with a local company to turn plastic milk bottles into benches for a local park. year 4 runs a comprehensive recycling centre, collecting and shredding paper, as well as cardboard, plastics, glass, cans, milk bottle

tops, toner cartridges, mobile phones, postage stamps and even bread

tags for craft.The school also features a shade house

where native plants are propagated and watered using rainwater collected in the school’s extensive tank system.

The school has six student action

teams with their own environmental focus and

blog (go to tinyurl.com/aw9syk).

Marion says the key to starting a successful sustainability education program

is to choose a single project that can be achieved quickly. “Really do it well and build on that slowly.”

The latest school census reveals that country schools are lagging behind metropolitan schools

in developing sustainable practices. Only three quarters as many had changed their facilities to

become more efficient.◆ — Rachel Power

For more on programs, grants and funding opportuni-ties for schools, and the detailed results of the schools census, visit tinyurl.com/b27925.

This is the first in a new regular series of articles on the work AEU members are doing in schools and workplaces to tackle climate change. Let us know what you’re up to —

email [email protected]

River of good ideas

Students dressed as dying gum trees to show the importance of environmental watering.


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Take advantage of our offer before 28 February 2009 and reward yourself financially!

For more information, contact one of our friendly Home Loan Consultants on 1300 654 822 or visit www.victeach.com.au.

* Offer valid for applications received from 8 December 2008 to 28 February 2009 and loan must be funded by 30 June 2009. Minimum loan amount is $100,000. At the end of the discounted period the interest rate then reverts to Basic variable rate, currently 6.07% p.a. (subject to change). This offer is only available for new home loans; it does not apply to switching existing Victoria Teachers Credit Union loans. Loans in excess of 80% Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) will incur Lenders Mortgage Insurance charges. An early repayment penalty applies if the loan is paid out within the first 5 years on Basic Home Loans. Variable interest rate advertised subject to change. Terms and Conditions available upon request.

Rachel Power AEU News

THE Israeli offensive in Gaza has galvanised peace activists across the world, says AEU member Alex

Nissen, a TAFE teacher and peace campaigner for more than 20 years.

As a Jewish woman, a member of the Coalition of Women for Peace and co-founder of the international Women in Black movement, Alex has worked for peace and justice, not only from the safe distance of Australia but regularly on the ground in Israel.

“Lots more people are working intensively to speak out against the Israeli Government,” she says. “Some 100,000 Jews, Muslims, Christians, both Israeli and Palestinian, came out on the street to protest in Israel. They see what’s happening now as barbaric — and it is.”

More than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died during the Israeli offensive which left thousands more wounded and destroyed 22,000 homes as well as water supplies, sewage services and other essential infrastructure.

On her visits to Israel, Alex has taken part in monitoring checkpoints to help ensure right of

passage, especially for those needing access to schools and hospitals. She is regularly threatened by armed soldiers and was on one occasion attacked by tear gas.

“I watched the smoke. The gas dissipated and I couldn’t see or breathe. My mouth felt like it was on fire, my skin was burning and I didn’t know how I got home. your body is in convulsion. I woke up the next morning and thought, ‘That is what it would have been like for my family in Auschwitz’.”

Alex describes Gaza as the largest open-air prison on the planet. “The innocent are trapped in a cage, and they are being denied food and medical assistance.

“Why isn’t the Australian Government condemning the Israeli Government for its use of violence and abuse of a population caught up in the middle of a nightmare?”

The AEU federal conference last month condemned the Israeli offensive, saying it amounted to a collective punish-ment of the Palestinian community for Hamas rocket attacks on Israel, which it also denounced.

Around a third of those killed during the offensive were children, and the conference in particular condemned the bombing of UN-run schools, university and hospitals, and urged the Australian Government to assist the search for a just and lasting solution. ◆

Appeal for actionover Gaza

Alex Nissen

How you can help

The AEU is backing an appeal by Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA to help families in need

following the three week shelling and invasion of Gaza.Aid will be delivered through Apheda’s two long-term

partners in Gaza. The Ma’an Development Centre specialises in food security, and the El Wafa Hospital’s rehabilitation section works with the wounded, especially those now missing limbs or suffering other physical disabilities.

Apheda is the Australian union movement’s overseas aid agency. To donate to the appeal, call 1800 888 674 (toll free) or go to www.unionaidabroad.org.au. ◆

www.aeuvic.asn.au 7

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Love is a battlefieldHATS off to the publicity team at Allen & Unwin for their sterling work promoting an interesting new book, School Choice, on how the exciting world of parental choice is keeping middle-class folk awake at night.

When PressWatch read that “Australians have a long history of visiting battlefields” we thought we sniffed an extended metaphor ... until we realised they’d pasted in the blurb for another book entirely (complete with crediting the wrong author). Mind you, reading that useful tips include “How to avoid getting blown up” and “How to avoid getting sick while you’re there”, maybe it wasn’t that far out after all...

We’re Number One!NOT sure what this says about their respective worldviews, but PressWatch was struck by two different takes on a recent survey which found Australian schools have some of the highest rates of bullying in the world.

The Age’s take was predictably negative: “Our kids in worst class of bullies,” moaned the headline. But the Herald Sun showed it can see the silver lining behind even the blackest clouds. It’s headline? “Aussie bullies among best in world.” Go, you Aussie bullies! Oi, oi, oi! ◆

Working for free: preschool staff

PRESCHOOL teachers are putting in almost an extra day’s work unpaid every week, and

most say feel they have to work even when sick, according to a survey of AEU members.

The State of Our Preschools survey of 289 preschool teachers and assistants found that teachers on average worked 6.5 hours per week above their scheduled hours. Assistants, who usually have a shorter working week, averaged 2.4 hours unpaid.

Teachers and assistants both reported that they

were often required to attend meetings and other events outside of paid hours. Large workloads and a lack of emergency replacements also meant they did not always take sick leave when required. Only 11% of teachers said they always took sick leave when they needed it.

As one early childhood teacher noted: “It’s such a hassle and/or expense finding an emergency teacher. I only take time off when I absolutely can’t work and then I return before I’m really well.”

The survey also confirmed that many teachers are in the later stages of their careers, and revealed the gap between preschool and school

salaries. The most that preschool teachers could earn was $60,519 per annum, compared to salaries of over $70,000 in schools.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a large proportion (40%) of early childhood teachers expressed an intention to either retire or join the primary school sector within the next five years.

The high attrition rate will cause alarm, given current state and federal policies which aim to increase preschool enrolments, reduce group sizes, and mandate higher qualification levels for staff. Real incentives will be required to attract and retain quality staff in the early childhood sector. ◆

International Women’s Day Dinner

bY popuLaR demand, Catherine Deveny returns as guest speaker at this year’s aeu International Women’s Day dinner on Wednesday March 4.

Catherine was a hit at last year’s dinner and is a staunch supporter of the aeu and public education. The dinner is sure to book out, so get in fast.

Tickets are $35 and include complimentary champagne. To book, email [email protected] or call (03) 9417 2822.

Warning over VIT reformsTHE AEU will be forced to withdraw its backing from the Victorian Institute of

Teaching if proposed reforms go ahead, the union has warned.Draft proposals to raise registration fees, remove teachers’ elected voice

on the VIT council and abandon the body’s role in promoting the profession would prompt a revolt by teachers, AEU branch president Mary Bluett said.

But she added: “We have been lobbying the minister hard on these issues and we are hopeful that sense will prevail.”

The proposals were contained in the Government’s response to the review of the controversial body by former Treasury secretary Frank King.

The VIT is already a major source of discontent among teachers, although the AEU has always given it conditional support — on the basis that registration protects the professional status of teachers and that the VIT has a role to promote and advocate for teaching.

But the Government’s interim response to the King Review claimed the VIT’s advocacy role was inconsistent with its regulatory role. It also proposed making the VIT entirely self-funding — meaning teachers would pick up the tab through registration fees for work that was previously funded by the Government.

And it recommended a slimmed down VIT council made up entirely of appointees. The AEU currently has five elected members on the council.

Other proposals that flagged alarm included an extension of the powers of the VIT to investigate misconduct, to take in matters below the level of serious misconduct. At the same time, the Government rejected recom-mendations to give time and support to mentors working with graduate teachers, and flagged the possibility of annual registration instead of the current five-yearly cycle. The AEU fears that would discriminate against teachers on long-term family leave.

The union has supported proposals to extend VIT registration to early childhood teachers, but would also like TAFE teachers to be covered — and is concerned that teachers of post-compulsory education generally are currently exempt.

Carolyn Clancy, the AEU deputy vice president whose role includes liaison with the VIT, said teachers would hit the roof if registration fees went up while at the same time the VIT abandoned the one role teachers wanted it to do — speak up for the profession.

“They’re angry enough now at the fees. Any increase in costs would be just unacceptable.” ◆ — Nic Barnard

Justin Bowd research officer


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Nominate your ReP!

A MERGER of four secondary schools is a tricky business. Mark Heiberg, sub-branch president at

Chandler Secondary College — as was — is the first AEU Rep of the Month for 2009 for his work in helping smooth the way during an amalgamation that has created Keysborough SC, in Melbourne’s outer east.

AEU organiser Joe Mulhall nominated Mark for the award, saying: “He’s done a terrific job working with staff and trying to negotiate local agreements. Amalgamations can be messy — there have been a few contentious issues, and he’s been really good in all that.”

Keysborough SC was formally created in October out of Chandler, Coomoora, Heatherhill and Springvale colleges. But still to come is the eventual shift from four

campuses to just two. Mark said: “There have been a lot of logistics

involved in trying to get one local agreement for all four schools. We’ve had a lot of running around to do in meeting the different executives of the different sub-branches and we’re now looking at how we’re going to amalgamate four sub-branches into one.

In between negotiations, Mark has found time to recruit new members and stick up for contract staff. “The reason I took on this job (as rep) was to help the younger teachers who know less about their rights. They come in on contract after contract. I’ve had a few made ongoing and another couple are on the way. It’s much easier with the new agreement.”◆

mark HeibergKeysborough secondary college

does your school or workplace Aeu rep deserve special recognition? email [email protected] telling us who you’re nominating and why. The rep of the month receives a limited edition Aeu leather briefcase.

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Nic Barnard AEU News

THE AEU is demanding the with-drawal of draft guidance for the

new regional network leaders (RNL), which proposes closures as an option for schools in trouble — but does not require the RNL to visit the schools in question.

Seventy RNLs started work at the start of the school year, with a remit to drive and support school improve-ment across the state. The posts, created under Blueprint 2, replace and expand the role of senior educa-tion officer and report to regional directors.

But the the media has already painted the RNLs as “strike teams” or “hit squads”, a fear underlined by the widely circulated Draft Network Provision Planning Guidelines.

The document proposes a “traffic light” system for assessing schools, and sets a deadline of March 31 for RNLs to draw up a strategic plan

for their network. Each RNL has 25 schools on average.

Schools would be assessed against six sets of criteria including their ability to deliver a broad curriculum, the full range of Victorian Education Learning Standards and a full range of VCE and VCAL opportunities — but not on whether funding allows them to deliver these things.

The assessments would cover school performance, but not students’ socio-economic profiles.

AEU branch president Mary Bluett said: “Blueprint 2 says these assess-ments will be published, identifiying schools that aren’t able to provide the full menu, without linking it to resources.

“This is a recipe for naming and shaming schools. It comes across as bludgeoning schools without even bothering to look at rich data and other contributing factors. It will lead to some very shallow assessments on the basis of very broad data.

“It’s a distraction from the fact that Victoria is still the lowest funded state or territory.”

Some of the proposals run counter to the new Schools Agreement signed only six months ago, which for the first time included a provision that principals must be consulted on any

changes that impact on their school.The draft was leaked in the same

week that the Auditor-General’s report on literacy and numeracy education was issued, landing the Brumby Government in hot water twice in the first week of the school year. ◆

“Hit squad” guidelines condemned

New Aeu training program out nowTHE AEU and its partners run a busy program of industrial and professional training throughout the year, including AEU Active courses, return-to-work refreshers, conferences, twilight forums and more. The 2009 training calendar is out now — go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/training.

emergency aid for bush fire victimsTHE AEU has launched a relief fund and offered immediate aid for schools,

members and their families affected by the February 7 bush fires.As AEU News went to press, it was known that at least two AEU members

died and a number had lost their homes in the fires. Three schools burned down completely and 72 closed in the aftermath of the fire.

The AEU will provide up to $5000 to members who have lost their homes or suffered substantial property loss.

Sub-branches in fire-affected schools are being given an immediate $5000 to spend at their discretion on support for their members.

The union was also arranging interest-free loans of up to $3000 for up to two years through teachers’ credit unions VTCU and mecu while insurance claims are finalised. AEU lawyers Holding Redlich are offering legal advice to members with insurance claims. The AEU’s regular team of counsellors will also be avail-able for sessions with affected members.

The Federal AEU has contacted branch president Mary Bluett about rallying aid from AEU members around Australia.

Members and sub-branches who wish to donate aid to victims of the fire should contact AEU manager John Cassidy on (03) 9417 2822 or email [email protected] for information. More at www.aeuvic.asn.au.◆

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Schools in harmonyMARCH 21 is Harmony Day and

Victorian schools are being encouraged to use the occasion to celebrate the cultural diversity in their classes and communities.

Managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the day celebrates Australia’s inclusive character and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity. The event is part of the Diverse Australia program, a community-based education initiative addressing issues of cultural, racial and religious intolerance.

Teachers and educators can find lesson plans and other resources at www.harmony.gov.au. ◆

how are you marking harmony day? send your stories to [email protected].

Advice for support staffWITH a new agreement in place for education support staff — or SSOs as they used to be

known — the AEU has produced a guide to help members get the most out of their deal.The new ES Implementation Guide was sent to every ES member over the summer break,

and copies for sub-branches should now be arriving at schools.The guide matches last year’s Schools Agreement Implementation Guide — look for the

blue cover — and includes the new Dimensions of Work, the work descriptors which will help ES members decide if they’ve been wrongly graded. Under the agreement, ES members can at any time demand a range review. The new dimensions printed in the guide will help members make their case.

The booklet also features advice on how to get the most out of consultation, and details of new rights for contract staff to be moved into permanent positions — and how to put them into practice. Other sections cover the new allowances system, supervision issues and grievance procedures.

The AEU will follow up the guide with a busy program of workshops, training sessions and meetings to spread the word about getting your entitlements. Events range from two-day courses to informal twilight meetings.

To download copies of the Implementation Guide and to find out details of the full range of training events, go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/sso. ◆

implementation guide

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EDUCATION SUPPORT

EMAILS to the AEU’s membership services unit have doubled in the

past year and calls are on the rise — with January’s heatwave producing a further surge. The MSU — members’ first point of call for queries on all work-related matters — answered 1500 emails last year, compared to 750 the year before and just over 500 in 2006.

“Part of the reason is that agree-ments were coming thick and fast last year,” says MSU officer Fiona Sawyer, “and we’ve had a lot of calls this term about the three PD days. That’s been a really big issue.”

Workload and stress are two of the main reasons for calls to the MSU — but heat stress was added to the list as staff returned to work and promptly reached for their phones to see if there were any guidelines on working in 40-degree heat.

Teachers in temporary classrooms were worst affected. MSU officer Marg Pekin said they sounded “truly hot and bothered”. Long-standing issues such as unreliable air conditioning came to a head. Formally there is no

Sweltering staff add to record calls

set temperature to trigger a downing of tools, but teachers are advised that it is a health and safety issue and should be raised with their occupational health and safety rep. Guidance from Victorian Trades Hall can be found at tinyurl.com/da3hl4. Education Department guidelines are at tinyurl.com/dn5hqg.

In the long term, schools should look at planting trees, building pergolas or installing some form of screening to shade windows. ◆

Call the MSU from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday on 1800 013 379 or email [email protected]. On the Phones: page 25.

MSU Officer Fiona Sawyer handles the phones


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Western AustraliaA HOUSING campaign for country teachers has been launched in response to the appalling state of accommodation — one of the main reasons remote schools are unable to attract and retain teachers.

The State School Teachers Union of WA says members have spent up to six months in backpacker hostels because they couldn’t find housing. When they do, it’s often in poor condition. The Nationals were elected last year pledging 2000 new houses for government workers in country and remote WA — but so far there has been no action.

New south WalesNSW Teachers Federation members are voting on a new pay deal which would deliver 12.5% over three years to school and TAFE teachers. The union said it offered “real salary increases in a difficult economic environment” plus some improve-ments to sick leave and return to work rights.

It also retains the current system for staffing transfers between schools, which the NSWTF fought to protect against state government plans to give principals the right to hire and fire.

The NSW Government came to the table for negotiations only after industrial action by the union.

south AustraliaThe AEU SA has launched a website www.appleforteacher.com.au — to support its campaign in the ongoing funding dispute. The site calls on the State Government to invest in smaller class sizes, competitive salaries and individual learning support for chil-dren, as well as upgrading facilities and providing relief from administra-tive overload.◆

EVERyONE is back. Debora, the office lady who never remembers your name, despite working with you for

the last four years; Brian, the guy who teaches Maths and develops a slight twitch whenever there is mention of his football team or an announcement that it’s hot dog day in the canteen; Greg, the principal who looks nerv-ously over his shoulder and reaches down to pull up his rarely matching socks whilst addressing students during assembly; and 8B, now 9B — the class of students who refused to stay in their seats when you had them for a Science extra in Term 3 last year.

Approaching your first classroom door for the year is always a nerve-wracking experience, no matter how many years of teaching expe-rience you have behind you. Students stand like a guard of honour, supervising the unlocking of the door while you balance your books, folders, pencil case and roll on one knee and try not to let your lanyard strangle you as the door swings open, taking your keys with it.

“Do we have you, Miss?”“Do we have to do any work today? It’s boiling!”“What did you do to your hair over summer, Miss?

It looks weird.”“Okay, let’s all just take a seat, 9B.”“We had you for Science last year when Mrs Frost

was away! Do you remember that day, Miss? you cracked it at us.”

“Thank you, Dale. I do remember — I just want to get the roll marked … and I am still waiting for some people to sit down.”

As the class continues, worksheets are handed out

as fierce reminders are issued to keep the noise down — so that Miss Smythe’s year 12 Accounting class can concentrate.

“What did you do over the holidays, Miss?”“Not much.”

“I saw you down at the shops heaps. I yelled out … but I don’t think you heard me.”

“yeah, I saw you at the movies too. you were seeing some weird film and you had heaps of popcorn.”

Heading into the staff-room after your first lesson, it is clear the addiction to caffeine you somehow managed to shake over the holidays has returned with a vengeance. you make a mental note to pay your dues for the tea and coffee club and wonder wistfully why they don’t buy slightly better quality sources of caffeine. The false sense of calm that

existed during your three (yes, three — count them) days of Professional Development before the students returned has well and truly dissipated. you begin to think to yourself that you could probably develop on a profes-sional level more effectively if you didn’t have such an enormous pile of marking already forming on your desk and a ridiculous number of meetings, about meetings you may have in the future, looming.

Welcome back to school — may all your classes stay in their chairs, may your meetings be short, may all the office staff remember your name and please, try not to get too excited by hot dog day. ◆

Comedian and teacher Christina Adams is currently recuperating from an unfortunate lanyard-related incident.

Weird hair days are back

aeu news is now available to members electronically. If you are interested in accessing aeu news online — as well as or instead of receiving a hard copy — email [email protected] can also keep up to date with the latest news of aeu campaigns and events through our fortnightly e-news bulletin — just fill in the Subscribe box at www.aeuvic.asn.au.

AEU NEWSONLINE?

www.aeuvic.asn.au 11

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The year ahead

TURNING words into action — that will be the challenge for the AEU and

its members in 2009.After a year of campaigning, new

agreements are in place for teachers and education support staff (SSOs) — and hopefully soon for TAFE teachers. Now comes the task of putting them into practice to get the most out of them in the workplace.

Not that campaigning is over — there are still new agreements to strike for early childhood teachers and assist-ants and for our disability and adult multicultural education sector members.

And there are the broader campaign fronts — the battles both federally and locally to win decent funding for public education, the fights to be won over league tables, national testing and performance pay, and the close eye to be kept on everything from the National Curriculum to the new IR laws.

Last year saw AEU membership rise by almost 4000 to a record 38,400 — an increase of more than 11%. But recruitment is an ongoing task, and the role of existing members is essential. When non-members are asked why they haven’t joined they often say they have

never been asked. When did you last ask a colleague to join the AEU?

Over these four pages, AEU News highlights issues that will affect our members in the coming year, including, overleaf, two of the biggest develop-ments on the national stage: the new IR laws and the Melbourne Declaration.

As development of the National Curriculum continues, the lack of direct teacher representation on the National Curriculum Board continues to be of significant concern, as is the absence of any direct advocates for public education. The AEU is lobbying and campaigning for teachers to be involved in the development of the curriculum and the associated assessment and reporting processes.

But a new curriculum itself deliv-ers nothing — only with adequate resources can we offer our students a quality education. Ensuring additional support of any new curriculum is a challenge we must overcome in 2009 and beyond.

To support our federal campaign for more funds for government schools go to www.forourfuture.org.au.

Then there’s the development by

With new agreements in place and a big agenda being shaped on the state and national stages, this year looks a busy one. Nic Barnard and Justin Mullaly cast an eye over the year ahead.

PrimaryPeter Steele vice president, primary

Workload the biggest challenge

AVERAGE face-to-face teaching time for all teachers in 2008 increased to 21.84 hours while non face-to-face hours for all teachers fell to 10.07 hours.That trend indicates that workload continues to be one of the main

challenges for primary teachers. Some specialist primary teachers are averaging above the maximum 22.5

hours face-to-face teaching, a situation which is in breach of the 2008 Schools Agreement.

Workload will also be an issue when schools begin to implement the Ultranet.

SecondaryJustin Mullaly deputy vice president, secondary

Challenge on contracts

Last year’s Schools Agreement delivered significant improvements to the contract system which have already enabled many teachers to be translated

to ongoing employment and greater job security. A similar clause in the new Education Support Agreement offers comparable opportunities.

Over the course of 2009 many more contract teachers and ES staff will become eligible. They can be translated immediately if there is an ongoing position available at the school — there is no need to wait.

But too often eligible contract teachers and ES staff remain on contract unnecessarily. Sometimes schools advertise ongoing positions statewide even when there are staff already in the school who could be translated. Principals are required to translate any eligible contract staff member before advertising a vacancy on Recruitment Online.

The Education Department’s work on the Ultranet continues with a tender process announced last November. The winning tender is expected to be selected shortly and the project developed (including a pilot) throughout this year and next.

The AEU will continue to press our concerns about the impact the Ultranet will have on staff, students and families and ensure that the implementation is properly resourced.

This year sees an additional 210 secondary teacher assistants begin work, to reduce the administrative burden on teachers so they can focus on their key task — teaching. The AEU will continue to closely monitor this initia-tive to ensure that it is achieving its aim of freeing up teacher time so they can focus more on their students and less on administration. ◆

Challenging parents and students are a major problem in primary schools and the system seems unable to provide the support needed. The AEU has asked year after year for more welfare teachers to be provided to no avail.

The system has responded by restricting the ability of principals to suspend students with its proposed new student engagement guidelines. These place more demands on schools to provide students with parent support groups if at risk of possible suspension. Resources have not been provided to cater for these extra obligations.

The National Report on Schooling found a widening gap in performance as students progress through primary school. Education authorities appear to have assimilated the myth that learning problems can be sorted out with short sharp intervention in Year 1. The AEU believes that this widening gap occurs because resources are not available to sustain the intervention in the upper primary classes, and is pushing for this to be corrected in its state budget submission.◆

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The year ahead

With new agreements in place and a big agenda being shaped on the state and national stages, this year looks a busy one. Nic Barnard and Justin Mullaly cast an eye over the year ahead.

Early ChildhoodMartel Menz deputy vice president, early childhood

a sector in transition

THIS is shaping up to be another busy year for the early childhood sector. Last year we saw renewed interest from both the State and Federal

Governments in early childhood issues with announcements of a national early childhood curriculum framework, transition plans for all preschool children and a commitment to universal preschool education delivered by degree quali-fied early childhood teachers.

While these announcements were welcomed by the sector, concern was raised about the speed at which some elements of the agenda were moving and at the same time the painstakingly slow response to the long-standing issue of attraction and retention, the resolution of which is essential to delivering the vision.

The momentum of the curriculum framework and transition plans continues to gather. Some 27 transition pilot projects are underway across Victoria, involving a number of AEU members, and will ultimately inform the development of a transition statement which preschool teachers will have to complete for all children at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, trials and validation of a national early years learning and development framework will occur during February and March with implemen-tation from July.

Our members are also involved in reference groups for both these initia-tives, ensuring the practitioner’s voice is heard. Success for both will hinge on resources. The AEU will push for funding for professional development as well as time to implement these new initiatives.

Negotiations to improve our members’ pay and conditions will be a key feature of 2009 and clearly linked to the issue of attraction and retention. Talks over a new agreement with Kindergarten Parents Victoria (KPV) have been progressing for almost a year. While we must reach agreement with KPV we must also argue our case for funding with the State Government.

Negotiations also begin this month for a local government agreement, which too will rely on appropriate funding from government. This will therefore be a year of campaigning for our sector, and success will depend on the strength of our membership. We will call on you to stand together and campaign for the improvements we need to attract and retain teachers and assistants in our sector. It is vital that we continue to recruit new members to the AEU so we can achieve the greatest outcomes.

With so much ahead of us, communication will be critical and so we continue to build our member email database along with opportunities to meet and talk with members and others who share our vision for early childhood education. We look forward to a productive and rewarding year in early childhood! ◆

Education supportKathryn Lewis education support organiser

Opportunity knocks

SSOs start 2009 with a new name — education support (ES) — and a new agreement which has the real potential to deliver many sought-after

improvements. The agreement became operational on December 16, bringing a long-

awaited salary increase and many significant gains to working conditions. But opportunity comes with challenges for ES members. The key to releas-

ing the potential of the agreement is to know and understand the agreement and how to use it as a tool to improve your working life. The main areas of concern usually involve consultation, contract employment, and classification.

The AEU will work with ES members to develop their awareness and skills to ensure that they gain the full benefit of the new agreement. To this end we are running dedicated AEU Active training courses and we encourage as many members as possible to attend. You can choose from a variety of courses running over one and two days and after school. Please see our website for details.

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome this year is the low union density among ES staff. At times, ES staff are unknowingly denied entitlements, or endure less than ideal working practices because they either don’t fully understand their agreement or are hesitant to insist that they receive basic entitlements. The remedy is to strengthen union membership among ES staff and encourage teaching and ES staff to work together.

Although much of the focus this year will be on bedding down the new agreement, the AEU will continue to provide PD and support for members. Our program of training courses, member forums, advocate programs and regional and metropolitan conferences will continue to provide valuable support to members. Details of events are all available on our website. ◆

both the state and federal governments of a salary classification above the incremental scale. A new professional pay mechanism will enable teachers to access a significantly higher salary while remaining classroom teachers. The AEU will continue to campaign so that teachers who wish to stay in the classroom can have access to the high-est salary possible.

For more on the union’s professional

pay claim go to tinyurl.com/bb5awv.As we report on page 8, the review

of the Victorian Institute of Teaching continues to cause major concern. We will be pressing the case strongly with the minister — watch this space!

Finally, within the AEU Victorian Branch itself, this is an election year. All elected positions come up for election in October.

Have fun in 2009! ◆

Actions speak louder


feature

THE “Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young

Australians” sets out the future directions for schooling in Australia.

Launched in December by the Federal, state and territory govern-ments, it is aptly named. Not only was it “declared” in Melbourne, but Melbourne has had a heavy hand in its creation. It was developed by a working group chaired by the secretary of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development — Peter Dawkins — and supported by a secretariat

and project team from the DEECD. Indeed, it reads like a bigger

picture version of Victoria’s own Blueprint 2.

The Melbourne Declaration is the third in what has become a 10-year cycle of national goal setting for schooling. It supersedes the 1999 Adelaide Declaration, which in turn replaced the 1989 Hobart Declaration.

Its ideas were developed by the Labor state and territory governments in 2006 and 2007 as an alternative to the Howard Government’s coercive

federalism, and were published in the Future of Schooling in Australia report before the 2007 federal election. Rudd Labor, which had given in principle support to that report in 2007, worked with the states through the Council of Australian Governments in 2008 to further shape the final declaration.

It contains just two broad goals, each further defined in more detailed sub-goals. For example, Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence commits all Austral-ian governments and all school sectors to a number of important but very ambitious (in terms of past performance) outcomes. Inter alia, governments must “ensure that the learning outcomes of Indigenous students improve to match those of other students”.

This sub-goal is ambitious because at present all of the key educational indicators show a yawning gap of up to 25 percentage points between the outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Another commitment says that governments must “ensure that socio-economic disadvantage ceases to be a significant determinant of educational outcomes”. Good luck — earlier this year, the chair of the National Curricu-lum Board, Professor Barry McGaw, commenting on the latest OECD PISA data, stated that the social back-ground of students alone determined differences in performance between private and state schools.

“How much of the difference between the schools is due to that [social background] and not due to what the school does but just due to whom they enrol? The answer is, in all countries, all of it,” he said.

To carry out this commitment, and that of another sub-goal which calls for schooling to contribute to “a socially cohesive society”, the Federal Government at the very least would need to abandon its private school funding policies and pump billions more into public schools.

The question mark hanging over all of the declaration’s goals and

TAFEGillian Robertson vice president, TAFE & adult provision

reforms loom over pay joy

WE CAN start this year feeling much more enthusiastic than we did for a good part of last year. The new TAFE agreement now being voted on by

members is a great outcome during a global economic downturn.As soon as the agreement passes all the ratification and approval processes

demanded by various government bodies, we will be producing a practical, easy-to-understand guide to implementing the deal. It will be backed by a series of “Know Your Agreement” seminars on most TAFE campuses. If you do anything for yourself professionally in 2009, attend one of these events. These seminars will be held during lunchtimes and late afternoons in the hope that as many people as possible can get to them.

Last year saw an unprecedented 70% increase in TAFE membership! We recognise the responsibility that brings, and we are committed to giving new members knowledge about their rights as quickly as possible.

We will also be offering “Casual to Job Secure” workshops in the second half of the year, to give sessional members guidance and advice on how and when to apply for conversion to more secure employment in TAFE — and more importantly, what to do if your application is rejected.

Our regular TAFE newsletters will have a new FAQs section on the agreement too. Of course, members can always phone our Membership Services Unit to get information and advice on (03) 9417 2822 or check out our website www.aeuvic.asn.au/tafe.

But big issues loom beyond the agreement. We will be pressing forward with our TAFE4all campaign, voicing our concerns about the Victorian Government’s skills reform policy which will mean much higher fees, HECs-style loans and the end of concessions for diploma and advanced diploma courses from July 1.

We'll be hosting a community forum about the impact of this policy on TAFE students and the public TAFE system. And later in the year our TAFE conference will focus on the campaign and the implementation of our new agreement. Keep an eye on your regular TAFE newsletter and bulletins for details of both. ◆

DisabilityRob Stewart deputy vice president, TAP

Time for a single agreement

DISABILITY members in day services have a big year ahead in negotiating a new agreement to apply from July 1. After gathering member feedback

in the latter part of 2008, our disability team is now putting together a log of claims for members to ratify before we serve it on employers' representatives.

Our position is that we seek a single multi-business agreement (MBA) to cover all instructors in day services, or ATSSs. The reason is simple: at present five different awards or agreements dating back to 1999 cover the sector. They are outdated, and despite our efforts to move all sites to the agreement we negotiated last year, some managers refuse to discuss these concerns.

In fact we are still attempting to get 18 sites to update their agreement and pass on in full the three pay rises owed to our members since 2006. The AEU is pursuing these sites as a matter of urgency.

Members working in disability employment services funded by the Common-wealth Government have not, for the most part, been covered by agreements. Their pay rises come from increases in the award safety net. As a result, they and we are taking a keen interest in the ACTU minimum wage cases being presented to the Fair Pay Commission. We will report back on their progress — especially in the light of the Government’s calls for wage restraint. ◆

Victoria’s fingerprints are all over the Melbourne Declaration, the new national blueprint for education. But will governments commit to the changes needed to fulfill its well-meaning intentions? Research officer John Graham reports.

Declaration of intent ?


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Labor’s fair playWorkchoices' replacement will boost employment — for lawyers.

David Colley industrial officer

LATE last November, the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, introduced the Federal Government’s new IR Bill which, when ultimately passed by

Parliament, will usher in a totally new Industrial Relations system to Australia.The Bill intends a complete re-write of Industrial Relations law, repealing

John Howard’s hated WorkChoices while maintaining many features of the collective bargaining system that AEU members have become familiar with.

A complex, 600-page document, written in seemingly simple English, it will provide work for years to come for lawyers and courts. Gone is the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and in comes a new beast, Fair Work Australia (FWA), along with the Fair Work divisions of the various federal courts. Gone is access to compulsory arbitration of industrial disputes, except as a last resort in some very few defined circumstances, and in come voluntary or consensual arbitration and a host of “alternative dispute resolution” procedures.

Unfair dismissal laws have been improved — unless your employer has fewer than 15 employees. Right of entry laws have improved slightly, with unions able to enter premises for discussions with anybody eligible to be a member. Workplace discrimination laws are also slightly improved, protecting employees who exercise their workplace rights.

Apart from the abolition of individual agreements (AWAs), AEU members will see little change to enterprise bargaining, except for the end of the manda-tory minimum deduction of four hours’ pay for protected industrial action. The difference between protected and unprotected action will remain, as will the need for ballots where protected industrial action is sought.

There may be some scope for members in disability services and early childhood to negotiate a “single employer” agreement instead of the familiar multi-employer “MECAs”. But this will depend upon whether the new FWA considers these areas to be low paid and the federal minister declares all the employers to have a “single interest”.

The awards which cover the various sectors of AEU membership will go. They will be replaced by new Modern Awards applying across the industries right across Australia. These, and the new National Employment Standards (NES), will form the new safety net on top of which collective bargaining will sit.

The new system is intended to introduce a national IR system for the private sector and for the public sector in those states which refer their IR powers to Canberra — as Victoria did under Kennett and is expected to do again.

The new laws are expected to operate from July, and the full new system with its modern awards and NES from January 1, 2010. ◆

sub-goals is whether governments are willing to take the politically complex steps to turn sound-good rhetoric into concrete outcomes.

The Melbourne Declaration sets out to be something more than its Adelaide and Hobart predecessors. They were basically just sets of goals. In the new declaration the goals are accompanied by “a commitment to action” in eight areas (see box).

These areas reflect the Federal Government/COAG agenda, which encompasses early childhood educa-tion, national curriculum, the public reporting of school results, quality teaching and school leadership, youth transition pathways, partner-ships with parents, business and the wider community, and addressing disadvantage.

They sound very familiar to anyone working in education in Victoria as they also, coincidentally of course, form the core of the Victorian Govern-ment’s Blueprint 2 plan for schooling and early childhood education.

The Melbourne Declaration will be supported by a series of “action plans”, the first of which is now out for consultation. The 2009–12 draft plan sets out a series of “agreed actions” under each of the areas of commitment in the declaration.

Under “quality teaching and school leadership” the agreed actions include many of the Blueprint 2 strategies, such as recognition for quality teaching, improved pre-service education and reward structures for teachers in disadvantaged schools.

From a wider perspective, there is to be national consistency in the registration of teachers, improved mobility in the teaching workforce and a national campaign to raise the status of the teaching profession.

Agreed actions for early childhood include universal access to 15 hours a week for 40 weeks in the year before formal schooling, implementa-tion of the 0-8 Learning Framework, development of some (much needed)

national quality standards, and improved regulations for early child-hood education and care, and the development of a national early years workforce strategy.

There are nine agreed actions designed to close the gap for Indigenous students, provide targeted support to disadvantaged students and focus on school improvement in low socio-economic communities.

They include measures to attract “high quality” teachers and principals to disadvantaged schools, providing principals with “greater flexibility” and “clear accountability” for student outcomes in these schools and focus-ing on “personalised planning for learning” for each student.

Under “accountability and trans-parency” the action plan requires all governments to implement the Rudd/Gillard agenda of publicly reporting comparable individual school perfor-mance including “individual school performance against schools with similar characteristics”, possibly using “value-added” measures.

In case this sounds like New York-style school league tables, the declaration pledges that governments “will not themselves devise simplistic league tables or rankings”. In other words they will leave it up to the education boffins at The Australian, the Herald Sun and Today Tonight.

Overall the Melbourne Declaration (and its action plan) is a very mixed bag. It bears all the hallmarks of the states’ half-hearted reaction to the previous Howard agenda and the

half-thought out “education revolu-tion” of the Rudd Government.

More positively, it signals some good intentions on such matters as addressing disadvantage, improv-ing the conditions of early childhood education and, possibly, raising the status and pay of teachers.

As our economic woes deepen, however, something more is required. Declaring a social justice agenda and then using scarce resources to further prop up a market-based view

of schooling doesn’t make good social or

economic sense.Now more than at any other time

the country’s education base needs to be lifted and this can only be done through enhancing and expanding the universal public sector.

The Melbourne Declaration and the 2009–12 Draft Action Plan can be found at tinyurl.com/czgpxt. ◆

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agreed National GoalsGoal 1. Australian schooling promotes equity and excellenceGoal 2. All young Australians become:

• Successful learners• Confident and creative

individuals• Active and informed citizens.

areas of action• Developing stronger

partnerships• Supporting quality teaching

and school leadership• Strengthening early childhood

education• Enhancing middle years

development• Supporting senior years

of schooling and youth transitions

• Promoting world-class curriculum and assessment

• Improving educational outcomes for Indigenous youth and disadvantaged young Australians, especially from low socio-economic backgrounds

• Strengthening accountability and transparency


“VERY few gatherings of educa-tors can claim that they directly

represent tens of thousands of years of practice.”

That was Mark Rose’s summation of the World Indigenous People’s Conference on Education (WIPCE), hosted in December on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nations of Victoria.

For Dr Rose, chair of the WIPCE 2008 Knowledge Committee, the event is “a stage on which the Indigenous world can showcase and celebrate both culture and education in one place at one time.”

For 24 years, WIPCE has gathered in strength and significance, drawing on the hearts, minds and spirits of educators from around the world to forge a collective stance on the right to traditional and current Indigenous ways of teaching and learning.

WIPCE is a conference “grounded in community”, said organiser

Lionel Bamblett, general manager of the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association (VAEAI), which hosted the event.

Attracting around 3000 people, the week-long conference was marked

by an atmosphere of international solidarity and celebration, pride and determination, and the theme “Indigenous Education in the 21st Century: Respecting Tradition, Shaping the Future”.

The traditional Welcome to Country ceremony, held at the Aboriginal Advancement League in Thornbury, was kicked off by representatives of the Kulin Nation. Indigenous delegates from communities across the world responded with vibrant displays of dance, song and stories.

Local performers Joe Geia, Lou Bennett and the Sweet Cheeks, Tjimba and the Yung Warriors, Peter Rotumah and The Grenadines then serenaded the crowd into the evening.

The keynote speakers line-up included some of the world’s

leading experts in Indigenous education, hailing from Botswana to Bangladesh, Taiwan to Toronto, alongside Australian speakers such as educator Chris Sarra, social justice commissioner Tom Calma and chair of the National Aboriginal Justice Advi-sory Commission Alf Bamblett, as well as Jenny Macklin and Maxine McKew for the Federal Government.

WIPCE’s standing as a forum for thousands of years of educational practice was evident in the speech by keynote speaker Alf Bamblett, who described a system of life sustained for almost 60,000 years by Australia’s Indigenous people.

Based on knowledge, experience and wisdom, Aboriginal lore was formed from “learning about life from life; watch, watch, try it until you are good at it,” he said.

Having survived the former policies of assimilation that sought to destroy Aboriginal culture, the broad theme of the conference was a growing sense of empowerment. A general shift from “being recipients to participants, with a voice and with a choice”, was Bamblett’s description, emphasising that with rights and self-determination go responsibilities.

Keynote speaker Marie Battiste, the first woman from Canada’s First Nations to receive a doctorate, spoke of her peoples’ resilience in reach-ing a “renaissance” of Indigenous culture.

“This emergent story is about a small but growing number of Indigenous peoples, a critical mass of Indigenous learners, who have survived an assimilationist and disem-powering agenda in education with determination, their own critical edge, and desire to move the imposed boundaries of Eurocentric education, to begin to walk their own path toward

One of the biggest gatherings of Indigenous people across the globe, the World Indigenous People’s Conference on Education descended on Melbourne. Rachel Power reports on a celebration of ancient traditions of teaching and learning.

WisDom

hopeAbove: Damelahamid dancers from northwest coast of British Columbia, Canada; Above right: Robert Bamblett of One Fire Dancers; Below right: Maori dancer from Aotearoa/NZ;

far right: future leaders performing at closing ceremony; page 18: Zelma Badu-Younge from Ghana . PHOTOS BY ALISON MCCOLL-BULLOCK & WAYNE QUILLIAM FROM 2 DEADLY PHOTOGRAPHY.


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empowering and liberating themselves and their nations as a whole.”

Linked to this was one of the conference’s principal themes:

language. UNESCO estimates that 3000 of the world’s 6000 languages are endangered, and at least 800 are nearing extinction. It is possible that 90% of the world’s languages may be lost by the end of the 21st century.

Many spoke of the fundamental

need to preserve Indigenous languages, which, according to Ryan Heavy, head of the First Nations people of Canada, provide a culture’s moral and spiritual compass.

As Bruce Pascoe, of the Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages, said in his speech on “Respecting Tradition”: “Not one language can encompass all meaning, that would be impossible. Bilingual education is successful for our Indigenous kids … in bridging the gap.

“I prefer the term bridging the gap,” he added. “‘Closing the gap,’ to me, is assimilation.”

The educational benefits of bilingual learning were also empha-sied by Tom Calma. He informed the audience that of the 9,581 schools that exist in Australia today, only nine “precious” schools are bilingual, all operating in some of the most remote regions of the country, where Indig-enous language is the lingua franca.

“Here in Australia, bilingual education brings together the cultural richness of two worlds — teaching children to walk in both the Indigenous world and the non- Indigenous world.”

Also attracting a large crowd was

former principal Chris Sarra, now with the Indigenous Education Leadership Institute, who offered a compelling story of what it took to turn around a remote school in southwest Queensland previously described as a “disaster area” using his “strong and smart” vision.

When Sarra became the first Aboriginal principal of Cherbourg Primary School in the state’s south-west almost a decade ago, attendance was sporadic and discipline problems rife. Kids came and went when they felt like it and the bell was rung ad hoc, he explained. “The general view was that only in white schools was the bell rung on time.”

Despite the initial resistance of the community and teaching staff at the school, Sarra implemented a system of rewarding children for attend-ance, which resulted in dramatically improved literacy and numeracy standards and a 94% reduction in absenteeism.

Teachers taught their students “to behave like Aborigines and not like delinquents”, he said. He warned unruly students that if they want to be uncontrollable in a truly powerful sense, they should get “strong and smart”, because if they just muck up, they are in fact very controllable under the Australian legal system.

Sarra says Aborigines are still operating with an internalised sense of inferiority, informed by former policies of assimilation. For educa-tors, this means teaching kids that dysfunction is a legacy of history and not inherent to the Aboriginal identity. The best way of doing this, he argues,

Bilingual teaching under threat

continued on page 18 ➠

THE Northern Territory Government’s decision to impose four hours of English-language teaching in Indigenous schools will effectively kill off

bilingual education, social justice commissioner Tom Calma warned WIPCE.Calma said the order flew in the face of international evidence that bilingual

education lifted academic achievement, boosted literacy and helped schools operate in partnership with their local communities.

In his keynote address at WIPCE 2008, Calma said the NT’s bilingual schools were models for sustainable Indigenous education the world over.

“The bilingual approach reflects and teaches the local living history, and the schools are led and sustained by local Indigenous people,” he told the audience. “Education is integrated into the community and led by people who are part of the community and part of the students’ lives outside of the classroom.”

Hence Calma’s outrage at the NT’s instruction that schools begin each day with four hours of English, out of 5 hours and 20 minutes available lesson time, allegedly in response to Federal standardisation of the curriculum.

“I think the Northern Territory Government of Australia needs reminding that bilingual schools support and enhance all that we Indigenous people have fought for over time to preserve our independent cultures and identities.”

The NT Government was looking for a quick fix to the large and complex issue of improving English literacy in the remotest regions of Indigenous Australia, Calma argued. But dismantling bilingual education was not part of the solution.

“It’s not logical, it’s not ethical, and it flies in the face of all evidence. It is absolutely reckless for the Northern Territory Government to proceed.

“The loss of bilingual education will be profound. The rich literature in Indigenous languages which comes out of the schools will be lost. The text books, the literature, the local stories, the artwork and the cultural knowledge which can only be taught through Indigenous languages will be lost... While none of this loss is measured in any test, we all know that the value of Indigenous literacies is inestimable.”

Of the estimated 250 original languages in Australia, less than 20 are considered not in danger, Calma said. Dismantling bilingual education potentially endangers many of those remaining 20.

“Sometimes I think we miss a fundamental question: education for what?” he said. “We need to know what education is being designed for and what it aims to achieve before deciding how it should be configured and how it should be resourced.”

Calma ended by arguing that we must ensure the best teachers are educating Indigenous students, and advocated cultural competency training.

“Good teachers make a difference,” he said. “Good teachers who have had cultural training are even more able to make a difference.” ◆


featureeducation

is to raise expectations.“We can collude with the

pursuit of excellence or we can collude with watered down expectations,” Sarra said.

He went on: “We have to have those hard conversations with families about attendance. We must raise expectations. We can’t let up on that challenge till we have established excellence through results.” Teachers needed the courage to “articulate dysfunction” and to resist a retreat into systemic failure — “a place that holds no-one responsible”.

Sarra was echoed by 25-year-old Amynio Seresere of the Vanuatu Young People’s Project, one of the “Beyond the Horizon” panel, who said: “We cannot command success unless we endeavour to deserve it.”

Across the week, the conference heard the diverse and complex challenges, as well as the success stories, facing communities as they try to hold on to their traditions and knowledge systems. It also provoked discussion about the role of Indigenous peoples in shaping education in the future.

“Sure it is still a long way to go,” conceded Mirjam Hirch, research fellow at the Center for World Indigenous Studies. “Two-thirds of Aborigines live in dire straits. What the conference beautifully shows is the power of people coming together, carrying hope and the wisdom that you can touch your fellow travellers.” ◆

A better way forwArdAEU Federal Conference unveiled proposals to reform Indigenous education and close the achievement gap. Nic Barnard reports.

FULL service schools and incentives to attract experienced teachers to

work in remote communities offer the keys to improving Indigenous educa-tion outcomes, the AEU has told the Federal Government.

With the Rudd Government failing to match action to words on Indigenous education, the union has attempted to push forward the agenda with its own proposals.

The policy was adopted at last month’s AEU federal conference, where concerns were also voiced about the place of Australia’s first peoples in the proposed national history curriculum (see box).

The AEU has acknowledged last year’s apology to the stolen genera-tions as a watershed, but is concerned that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s pledge to halve the gap in Indigenous achievement has not been matched by concrete policies or funding.

The AEU proposals would see school campuses house preschool and TAFE provision, and offer services for parents and children from birth, to establish early links with families.

Schools with significant Aboriginal intakes would also host inter-agency programs, and open with extended days for up to 48 weeks a year to put them at the heart of community life.

Other proposals centre on staff-ing. AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said the enthusiasm and energy of young teachers in remote schools were appreciated — but that students needed experienced hands.

The plan would see incentives for teachers and principals to work in hard-to-staff and remote schools, and efforts to bring on and support local Indigenous teachers and education support staff. new teachers and principals would be appointed early, to encourage continuity through a

seamless handover.Worryingly, the Federal Govern-

ment’s main initiatives to date have been to lift funding to private schools with significant Aboriginal rolls — even though they take only 10% of

Indigenous students — and to fund 2000 secondary places at “elite” city boarding schools.

“Cherry picking students from their communities is not the answer,” Gavrielatos said. ◆

“indigenous history is everyone’s history”

DELEGATES at the conference had strong words for Barry McGaw, chair of the National Curriculum Board, over the proposed history curriculum.

Professor McGaw had outlined the board’s work so far when he was challenged by Wayne Costelloe, the AEU’s federal Aboriginal education officer.

“My mother and grandmother were stolen generations,” Costelloe told him. “My grandmother was light skinned and her parents used to cover her in mud to protect her from being taken away. Her daughter was also stolen generation.

“I don’t know any of my culture or language from the different nations I come from. Aboriginal people in Queensland ... had to get permission to marry, permission to travel, permission to work. When you tell people about that they (reply): “It didn’t happen”; “Why weren’t we told?”; or “Only the strong survive.” I grew up not a citizen in my own country. Will that history be in the National Curriculum?”

Prof McGaw’s response was direct: “I think it has to be. … Those struggles have got to be part of our story.” ◆

➠continued from page 17

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After 27 years as a teacher and principal, AEU member Dale Hendrick has taken on a new challenge — representing his union on the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Amy Walker reports.

GIVING an AEU perspective on the council of the Victorian Institute of Teaching is a challenge that

Dale Hendrick was keen to accept.As principal at Pakenham Hills Primary School,

Dale brings 27 years experience as an educator and problem-solver to the four-year role he began in December.

Dale, the only AEU principal class member on the board, believes the VIT is a necessary body but he recognises that some teachers resent the fees and believes there are some things it could do better.

The VIT has been widely criticised by teachers — and the AEU — for not standing up for the profession or promoting teaching as a career.

“I put my hand up to be a member because I do believe there is a place for it, but like the AEU I believe that the VIT has a role to play in advocacy,” Dale says.

“There need to be transparent processes in place when dealing with problems in particular teacher misconduct and discipline issues.

“The VIT has a big role to play in setting guidelines in education and accrediting courses. Over the past five years, a lot of work went into developing standards to provide to universities, as these are skills we expect of teachers.

“I think it is something the VIT does well but it’s a matter of knowing what it can do better…”

Dale has had an enviable career in Victorian education, which he attributes to setting chal-lenges for himself as well as a personal motivation to change education for the better.

“My main priority was making a difference, and I knew the day I stopped doing that, it was time to do a different job,” he says. “My goal remains simple, and that’s making education better.”

Dale’s career provides a lesson in never shying away from a tough situation, tackling discipline and staffing issues head-on.

He started his teaching job with a 12-month stint at the Challenging Minors Children’s Centre at Kew Cottages where he had huge responsibilities as an individual and group educator.

It was that role, and the next two years as a statewide reliever where he was a lead teacher, which gave him confidence in his ability to teach and make a difference in a community.

“Being a lead teacher early on meant I got to see what it was like to run a school. Those two years were important for me knowing about teaching and what went on at schools and management above the schools. I learnt a lot about schools and education. But the thing I really loved was going into the country areas where the people were so friendly,” he said.

Dale followed this experience by becoming a metropolitan reliever, and in his career he has also taught at a string of schools in Gippsland and Melbourne’s outer east and participated in the Family Maths Program at Swinburne University.

He first became a principal in 2000 at Powlett River PS, also managing a teaching load. He admits he was apprehensive at taking on the responsibility.

He moved to Bass Valley as a principal in 2001, staying for five years and bringing in graduate teachers “to provide a bit of a spark”. Dale moved to his current role at Pakenham Hills in 2006.

Through his successful career, he says he has found the AEU to be a vital, stabilising force.

“I believe the union (has) had an important role to play during the past 27 years, as different issues cropped up, especially when I was working with the Family Maths Program, and the union dealt with the department over pay,” he said.

“More particularly today, the union looks after teachers and principals through negotiat-ing agreements, and that is something that an individual just can’t do.

“The union plays a very strong role with liaising with the department and it helps teachers in so many important ways.” ◆

show tell&The most important thing I take into the classroom every day is ...A sense of humour and a caring attitude.The best piece of advice I ever received was ...To "hasten slowly" when going into a school as its new principal. So I spend time just getting to know people and learning about the school.The most important thing the AEU does for its members is ...To play a key role in ensuring the government honours its part of the agreement, and lobby consistently for more funding in education.The most inspirational figure in my life was ...A principal named Don Peard. Very early in my career, he took a difficult young man and saw the potential in him. He spent time mentoring me and building my leadership and interpersonal capacity. I have been successful today because of it.My favourite teacher at school was ...Mrs Bennett in Grade 3 at Narmara PS. She was incred-ibly strict but very fair. I was also fortunate to work with her as a trainee teacher and then again as a teacher, when I was based at Narmara.If I had a private meeting with Schools Minister Bronwyn Pike, I would tell her ...That far greater attention needs to be given to the provi-sion of support services for schools. Access to student support services officers and other allied health services should be greatly increased and there needs to be wider access to primary welfare funding for schools. ◆


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ce KEVIN Rudd’s $14.7 billion injection into school buildings was still

over a fortnight away as delegates gathered in Melbourne for the AEU’s annual federal conference.

So there was perhaps something prescient in the overriding theme of the conference where the twin spectres of global recession and the Federal Labor Government’s record so far on public education were never far away.

As several speakers noted, if ever there was a time to invest in public education, now was that time. And as the bailouts of banks and car industries had shown in Australia, the US and elsewhere, governments that have for years cried poor have no problem finding the cash when it suits them.

“What has been exposed is that when there is a political will, money can be found,” federal president Angelo Gavrielatos told conference in his opening address.

Conference was dominated by calls for Rudd and Education Minister Julia Gillard to make good on their long-promised education revolution, by matching rhetoric with the funding that the public school system so badly needed.

It saw the union further strengthen the case for federal investment, with an updated report by academic Jim McMorrow released to coincide with the event, and a speech by economist Adam Rorris, which starkly set out

how far Canberra had fallen short on funding.

As Gavrielatos noted, the complete failure of the markets — or the “cancer of neo-liberalism” as he called it

— and the urgent need for economic stimulus opened up new ground for the union to press for action on public education.

“Now, more than ever … govern-ments should be providing certainty in the public institutions that guarantee every citizen’s right to quality public education,” Gavrielatos told delegates.

Which is not to say that, following the Government’s announcement on February 3, all will now be sweetness and light. As the rest of the presi-dent’s address and other debates over the weekend made clear, the union is grappling with deep-seated alarm over much of Labor’s education agenda.

National testing, league tables, performance pay and the continuing rort of federal funding for private schools are all battlefronts for the union.

So too are moves to effectively privatise the TAFE system by opening up vocational education and training to competition. Victoria’s lead on this comes with the heavy endorsement of Canberra in what is effectively a pilot for national policy.

Responses to Barry McGaw’s presentation on the progress of the National Curriculum Board he chairs revealed frustration that teachers have no seat at the table as the subject matter they must teach is drawn up.

Debates on climate change and industrial relations, and continuing

concerns about the achievement gap for Indigenous students made clear the need to keep pushing state and federal governments for effective action.

Coming just a few days before the inauguration of US president Barack Obama, and the surge of hope that brought around the globe, the conference was grappling with the disappointment of getting the government it wanted.

The clouds that were already gathering at 2008’s Sydney confer-ence — which the newly appointed education minister Julia Gillard notably declined to attend — had thickened by the time delegates convened in Melbourne.

The conference statement put it simply: “As it enters its second year in office, the Rudd Government’s ‘Education Revolution’ has fallen far short of meeting the levels of funding and policy change required for a genuine revolution.”

Underpinning the concerns is a recognition that — in its policies around competition and accountability through blunt-edged reporting of school data — the ALP in power is pursuing the same market agenda as its Coalition predecessor: of education as commodity, not public good.

The Rudd Government’s score-card is not all negative. There was praise for the $2.8bn investment in public schools announced in November. Initiatives in expanding

pressing the case for changeDespite Kevin Rudd’s change of heart

on school funding, the AEU Federal Conference saw mounting discontent with Canberra’s market approach to education. Nic Barnard reports.


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pressing the case for changeearly childhood provision were also applauded.

But the case for serious funding redress is becoming overwhelming. November’s announcement marked the first time the public sector’s share of federal education spending has risen since 1996, and “the first serious investment in public schools in more than a decade,” Gavrielatos said. But as Dr McMorrow’s report pointed out, it still left public schools with a smaller take of the federal purse than when Labor left office in 1996 — 37.1% by 2011–12 against 43% in 1996.

A step in the right direction, then, but only a step.

But it was economist Adam Rorris’s critique that was more wounding for the Government, given its fondness for importing education policies from

the UK and US. What Canberra is less keen to do, he said, was to import the funding policies from those countries.

Britain and the US invest almost three times as much on public school buildings as Australia does, Rorris told conference. On average, their investment matches that of private schools here.

As even the National Union of Teachers’ president Bill Greenshields admitted, as he detailed New Labour’s many failings in England’s education system, the reforms that ratcheted up accountability, competition and centralised control were at least accompanied by a major investment in buildings and equipment.

The fruits of that, as Rorris outlined, are an extra $1000 per pupil spent on infrastructure in those coun-tries. Over five years, the shortfall

amounts to $11.2bn that could have been spent on public schools — or an average $1.5m per school.

“All policy makers need to get their heads around this gap in a serious way and begin to understand what it represents in terms of investment and begin to explain how we’ve come to be in this situation where Australian public schools are so consistently under-invested,” Rorris said.

By coincidence, $1000 per student is close to the average gap between spending on buildings and infrastructure for public and private schools in Australia.

And by further coincidence, it’s roughly the share that public schools can expect to get from the new stimulus package.

Pity it needed a global recession for it to happen. ◆

ONLY one education support worker attended federal conference — Vic Branch’s Sylvia Ganossis. She

won applause with a plea to the union not to forget support staff: “We are a part of you guys, and we want to be there helping and supporting you.”

Sylvia urged branches to include ES staff in their delegations, saying: “They need to know what’s going on and get that information out to their members.” And she asked them to use the more inclusive term “educator” instead of teacher.

Not all AEU branches open their membership to education support staff.

australia dayConference opened with the traditional welcome to country and a surprise endorsement from Indigenous delegate Waine Donovan.

The NSW member said the most important thing to happen to him in 2008 had been Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations — but the second had been seeing Baz Luhrmann’s epic Australia. He had been astonished and moved to tears to discover the Stolen Generations story at its heart.

“The line ‘No mother ever forgets her son’ — it still resonates,” said Waine, who admitted to seeing the three-hour film twice and said its depiction of Aborigines was neither patronising nor tokenistic.

Teacher ed facing crisisMonash University’s Sue Willis, president of the Austral-ian Council of Deans of Education, painted a troubling picture of teacher education in her keynote address.

With over 60% of teachers aged over 50, and the rapid expansion of preschool provision requiring fully qualified teachers, universities faced a major challenge. Yet funding had been cut, and departments were suffer-ing their own staff shortages.

“Teacher education is now a national priority (subject), so it’s being funded at 90% of four years ago as a direct conse-quence,” she said. “As a national priority subject, we can’t charge students as much — but government hasn’t made up the difference.” ◆

“Don’t forget support staff”

Clockwise from top left: Vic branch delegate Mick Butler; Waine Donovan; Vic branch vice president Meredith Peace; economist Adam Rorris; AEU federal Aboriginal education officer Wayne Costelloe; Professor Barry McGaw; AEU Vic branch ES observer Sylvia Ganossis; federal president Angelo Gavrielatos and federal secretrary Susan Hopgood; Vic branch deputy president Ann Taylor leads a workshop; NUT president Bill Greenshields; Tony Maher, CFMEU; climate change expert Geoffrey Evans. PHOTOS: PHILIP MARTIN


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IT’S hard to remember how much the landscape has changed since the

AEU began negotiating a new agree-ment for Victorian TAFE teachers.

Australia’s economy was still booming. John Howard was still in office. And the Brumby Government had yet to announce its skills reforms.

Yes, TAFE teachers have waited long for a deal that would deliver a fair salary and job security for the profession. But with the global economic crisis now in full swing, what has been delivered is the best that could have been achieved, says Gillian Robertson, AEU vice president for TAFE and adult provision.

“We’ve got in just by the skin of our teeth,” she says. “It’s going to become more and more difficult to get good pay offers. The cold hard reality is the economic situation has changed dramatically.”

In the end, it is that changing landscape — and the fierce determi-nation of AEU members — that has forced an outcome which will deliver thousands of dollars into teachers’ pockets and bring them closer to parity with schools.

After months of delaying tactics and hardball negotiating, TAFE direc-

tors appear to have been hit by a rude awakening — that far from creating a lean competitive machine, their attempts to bargain down teachers’ pay and conditions were driving the system into the ground.

In particular, they were starting to

see the steady stream of long-serving teachers leaving the profession turn into a flood.

“The employers suddenly realised that the only way they will survive in the market environment that the [Brumby Government’s] skills agenda will toss them into is by being the best quality providers,” Robertson says. “They’re going to have to rely so heavily on having the best teachers around, and they could see their best people leaving the system in droves.”

It should not have taken so long, Robertson says. “It makes me wonder how many bloody good teachers have left the system in the past 12-18 months because they couldn’t afford to keep working as a TAFE teacher.”

The Brumby Government appears to have played a typically disingenuous role in the drawn-out saga — failing to show leadership when it was needed, declining to accept responsi-bility for the TAFE directors it employs, and quietly scuppering potential agreements while claiming not to be a party to negotiations.

Robertson says it took seven months for then-newly appointed

Skills Minister Jacinta Allan to tell TAFE directors she wanted a single statewide agreement — an essential starting point for negotiations.

But a deal also took time to thrash out because AEU negotiators had such clear instructions from members: it’s time for a fair deal. The unprecedented and passionate turnout at the August stopwork — filling the Athenaeum theatre and flowing into the streets — unmistakeably conveyed teachers’ anger and frustration, in a profession reaching boiling point.

“We were determined they weren’t going to get a lousy 3.25% per annum, and we were determined we were not going to sell off terms and conditions,” Robertson says. “And we were determined that casual teachers would have the prospect of better job security.”

The most controversial aspect of the proposed agreement is

likely to be the new arrangements for sessional teachers. The annual 320-hour cap on teaching at any one institute has been lifted to 720 hours in recognition that many casual

teachers — particularly in regional Victoria — were unable to earn a living.

To prevent the new relaxed limit entrenching job insecurity, sessional teachers will gain the right to ongoing or contract employment if they teach more than 400 hours in a year at one institute. The AEU will conduct a mass education campaign to inform casual teachers of their rights — and tell them the union is there to support them if they sign up.

Negotiations began before school teachers started their campaign, and have finished afterwards. The schools win showed that the Government’s salary cap was there to be broken — but in the meantime, the Treasury found a huge hole in its budget because of the financial downturn. Panic in Spring Street aborted one potential deal.

The proposed deal brings TAFE teachers at the top of the scale to within $2,400 of school teachers. But for Robertson one of the best outcomes of the campaign has been the reawakening of TAFE teachers as an industrial force.

“This campaign has for the first time in well over a decade brought TAFE teachers together as a profes-sion,” she says. “They’ve been divided for so long by the nature of the way TAFE institutes work in a competitive environment. To come together in the streets as they did in August and November is just so empowering.” ◆

Key points• 6.5% backpaid to October 1 for all contract and ongoing teachers• 3.25% on October 1, 2009, 2010, 2011• Automatic pay rise if no agreement by October 2012• New T5 pay grade of $70,000 from July 2009• Long service leave after seven years• Family leave increased• Pay gap with school teachers closed to $2,400 at top of scale.

It took almost two years, but with TAFE members voting on a new agreement, the finishing line looks in sight. Nic Barnard reports.

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Women’s FOCUSBarb Jennings women’s officer

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Ad_60x262.indd 1 18/12/08 12:00:42 PM

Shaping the futureDespite massive inequities, women are the powerhouses of developing nations.

WOMEN Shaping the World will be the theme of the 2009 AEU Victorian Women’s Conference, taking a look at the many ways in which women are

active as they try to make a better world.Internationally, the AEU works across regions with disadvantage to

improve the lives of women and girls. Women still make up nearly 70% of the world’s 1.3 billion people living in poverty, 65% of the world’s refugees and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population.

They constitute two-thirds of the exploited informal workforce, own just 1% of the world’s resources, and earn one-tenth of the world’s income.

But women are the powerhouse of developing countries: they produce a staggering 60% of all food, and run seven out of 10 small-scale businesses. Recent Oxfam research has shown that giving a woman $10 in aid has the same effect as giving a man $110.

As Education International’s Shashi Bala Singh has described (see left), the reality for so many women and girls across the developing world is shocking. At our conference, AEU federal secretary Susan Hopgood will outline some of the work the AEU and its partners are doing to address this.

Although most Australian women do not face the injustices and horrors that afflict women elsewhere, inequality and lack of opportunity remain. Author Jane Caro will explore how our schools are being segregated according to income, class and race under the existing funding systems. Her recent book The Stupid Country: How Australia is dismantling public education has ignited debate across Australia about a “creeping, systemic apartheid” that is threatening the future of our poorest, most disadvantaged students.

Women educators in schools are integrally involved with shaping students and building a civilised, caring society. We know that you reflect on your endeavours and are always keen to incorporate new thinking and views in your approaches to this important task. Hopefully the Women’s Conference will stimulate some thinking and give you some resources and ideas to use as you face another year of hard work. We know that you need some laughs and relaxation as well and so there will be entertainment and good food.

Women’s Conference will be held on Saturday, May 2 at the AEU in Tren-erry Crescent, Abbotsford. Posters and brochures will be in workplaces by mid-March and on our website at www.aeuvic.asn.au/women, so keep an eye out or email me at [email protected]. ◆

A confronting address to AEU members brought home the violence and injustice faced by women in Asia. But a women’s network offers hope. Nic Barnard reports.

WOMEN are still subject to a horrifying catalogue of violence and abuse in developing nations in

Asia, Education International’s regional officer has warned.

A sober audience at the AEU’s federal confer-ence in Melbourne listened in silence as Shashi Bala Singh outlined the extent of abuses against women in the region, and the challenges facing educators in promoting equity and human rights.

“Poverty, injustice and violence against women are causing havoc —- violence against women and

girl children are rampant to an unacceptable extent,” she said.“The growing incidents of rape, incest and honour killings and dowry-related

murders reflect the ever-growing oppression within and outside the family.”Singh reeled off statistics that only began to give an insight into the scale

of the oppression. Every six hours in India, a young married woman was burnt alive, beaten to death or driven to suicide. Four out of five women in Pakistan experienced violence in the home. Ten women a week in Bangladesh suffered acid attacks that left them disfigured, and often blind.

In parts of Nepal, there were only 927 girls for every 1000 boys because of female foeticide and infanticide. In parts of the Punjab in India, abortion claimed one in five girls, and in one Indian province, not a single female birth was recorded in 2005.

Women across the region had low political, social and economic status, the result of deep-rooted cultural practices. Girls — particularly from poor families — could be forced to marry at a very young age. Others were sold by their parents into prostitution — often out of desperate poverty and ignorance.

The discrimination was reflected in access to education and health. “Girls in many countries in the region are in trouble,” Singh told the conference. “They are generally less educated, less healthy and less free than their male peers.” HIV and Aids were a serious problem. Women could be denied medical help or even beaten to death.

Female literacy across the region was low, with the exception of countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. Fewer girls than boys attended school, despite most countries signing up to UN agreements on equal rights. Girls bore the brunt of endemic child labour. Across the region, women did not have a voice. They were often poorly unionised and poorly represented within those unions — including teacher unions.

But Singh did offer signs of hope. The status of women was better in the growing cities than in the country. In parts of metropolitan India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, girls were out-performing boys at school and univer-sity and their numbers were growing in some professions, including teaching.

And women’s networks offered a way of addressing the complex situation of discrimination. Singh said they provided a platform for women to exchange views on the issues they faced and discuss strategies for action.

“Our vision is very clear: to establish a strong women’s network in the region to promote gender equality in the region, in teachers unions, in education and in society.”

Their key concerns were violence against women, HIV/Aids, maternal benefits

Women’s networks’ hope to tackle abuse

and girls’ education, as well as aiming for women to make up 50% at all levels of representation in teacher unions.

She concluded: “We are happy with the significant changes (that have taken place) but will not be satisfied with these silver linings alone. We need a clear blue sky and a horizon free of discrimination, torture and atrocities.” ◆


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Brian Henderson branch secretary

AEU membership continues to grow at an amazing rate. At the

end of last year our numbers had reached 38,000, making the AEU one of the largest unions in Victoria. This represents an increase of nearly 4000 members in 2008 alone.

Successful industrial campaigns in schools, for both teachers and educa-tion support staff, and in TAFE, have contributed to this growth. However, the union has also been trialling new and innovative recruitment measures which have seen membership increase.

The union has traditionally had trouble in increasing density in TAFE. This is due to a number of factors including the diverse geographical locations of TAFE campuses, spread of hours of teaching staff and the fact that so many TAFE teachers are employed casually. Last year we engaged a specialised recruitment company, Work Partners Australia, to recruit in TAFE.

Over six months, our TAFE member-ship increased by 68% largely due to the number of teachers recruited by the company. On the basis of this success we have decided to extend the program into schools this year.

Your sub-branch rep and principal may be contacted by an AEU recruiter to arrange a visit to recruit non-member teaching and ES staff. The AEU is a growing union and this

initiative will help us to increase union membership density. All the research shows that those industries with high union density do significantly better when it comes to negotiating collective agreements. In unity there is strength.

The AEU has increased member-ship subscription rates by 3% effective from January 1. It follows a significant pay increase to teachers last year and a further 2.71% increase on January 1, and increases to ES staff which are now in the process of being paid. TAFE teachers will also receive substantial salary increases and back pay upon ratification of their agreement.

Subscriptions were last increased in January 2007 and this will be the only rate rise for 2009. Our member-ship growth has allowed us to hold rates steady and then increase them by far less than the value of the salary increases gained by members in recent agreements. This fee is fully tax deductible, so remember to claim it on your tax return to substantially reduce the actual cost of union membership.

Teachers in their first three years receive a discounted membership. In addition, ES staff, early childhood teachers and assistants, disability services members, AMES members and casual and CRT members also receive discounted rates. ◆

Full details of AEU membership rates can be found on the AEU website — go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/join.

UpWardS and onwardsComing soon to a school or TAFE near you — a new AEU recruitment drive

Hidden benefitsCheaper holidays, savings on laptops, discounts on fridges and cars — are you getting the most from AEU membership?

THE best and first reason for joining a trade union is to stand together in unity with your colleagues. But that’s not the only reason. The strength in numbers of the AEU and the trade union movement

means members can access a huge number of money-saving benefits.A visit to our website — www.aeuvic.asn.au/membership — will start to

give you an idea. There’s free financial and legal advice, Teachers Federa-tion Health and access to two teachers’ credit unions, mecu and VTCU.

But the AEU also gives you access to Union Shopper, which uses the buying power of Australia’s two million union members to negotiate the best possible deals on everything from white goods to cars. Whatever you’re buying, shop around, choose a make and model, then call Union Shopper with the best price you’ve found. They guarantee to get it even cheaper.

One of the newest partnerships is with Apple computers, giving special offers on laptops for members, as well as access to a dedicated online store with savings over and above the regular education discount. Until April 13, members can get a $179 discount on iPods on top of regular discounts.Full details and access to the online store are on the website. The store is password protected — type in user name “AEUmember” and password “AppleAEU08”. Both are case sensitive.

AEU partners offer travel savings in Victoria and overseas, as well as discounted travel insurance. And last but not least, there’s the AEU Wine Club, with regular bargains on quality wines, delivered to your home. Current AEU Wine Club offers include Brokenwood Three Sovereigns Shiraz and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, reduced from $25 to $10.99.

AEU News will keep you up to date with the latest member benefits — or check the website at www.aeuvic.asn.au/membership. ◆

Member BeneFitS


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On the PHoneSMembership Services Unit — 1800 013 379

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David Bunn membership services unit

DO I have to be here? Part-time teachers were left asking this question in many schools on

the first three days of term this year. Many and varied formulae were used to

suggest that teachers should turn up for PD on days which were not their regular days of attend-ance. Some were told it would be unprofessional not to attend.

At no point was the unpleasant topic of pay for these hours of work mentioned. But it is unprofes-sional to expect professional workers to practice their calling without pay.

If you are directed to attend for work, and if the direction is reasonable and legal, then it is best to attend unless you have pressing other circum-stances which you or your union sub-branch should politely explain to the manager. If you attend for work as directed then you must be paid.

If you are not to be paid (and your hours are not re-arranged to compensate) then you are not required to attend. You should find out beforehand.

Sub-branches should clarify these issues for all members through school consultative procedures.

new job — new salary?Each time you start a new job as a school teacher, your commencement salary must be recalculated. This includes when you convert from contract to

ongoing, or start a new contract at the school you taught at last year. You are placed on the base pay point (G1) for being a qualified teacher. You are then moved one rung higher for each completed full-time year of teaching as a qualified teacher that you have done.

Thus, if you have completed three years of full-time teaching you will start your new job no lower than the fourth rung of the scale (A2). This is particularly important given the changes last year to the teachers’ pay scale, and the removal of the bottom two increments. And remember, whatever your circumstances, you must start no lower than the last pay point you were on.

My hours changed — when does my pay?For employees of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, your time fraction

change takes effect (and is reflected in your pay) when you start working your new hours.

If you shifted from half time last year to full time this year then your pay should have changed to full-time rates on January 28 unless:• You are a leading teacher whose contract runs

from January 1 to December 31, in which case your time fraction would change from the date of the new contract

• You are an Education Support employee who was required to start working your new hours earlier than January 28.Conversely if you changed from full time last

year to half time this year, your pay should have changed to half-time rates on January 28 (with the same exceptions).

A timely reminder for tAFeIf you have prior service which may be recognised for the purpose of calculating your long service leave entitlements (such as service as a teacher in a government school, another TAFE or university) then you should notify your TAFE employer within six months of starting your current employment contract.

As many TAFE teachers will be starting new contracts this term, and may have previously omitted to notify the employer that they have service which they wish to have brought into account, this is the moment to ask. ◆

do i have to go to work today?do you have an issue you’d like

to see covered in On the Phones?

email [email protected] call the MSU on(03) 9417 2822 or

1800 013 379.


v New EducatorsNETWORkJames Rankin graduate teacher organiser

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WELCOME to teaching for all those that are new — and welcome back

to school for those who are old hands. This is going to be an exciting year

for new teachers. The union is here to advocate, assist and support you in your first few years and we want you involved as much as possible.

What support is there for new teachers?

Facebook group AEU has a Facebook group for new teachers to keep you up to date with news about AEU professional develop-ment, events and functions. It’s also a place you can go to get answers to questions you’ve been wanting to ask or discuss issues you are having at work.

You can either ask questions on the message board or email one of the administrators directly. You can find the group at: tinyurl.com/neweds or log on to Facebook and search for the New Educators Network.

If you have any problems with access please call me at the union on (03) 9417 2822.

nen meetings and pD in the pubFollowing the success of our PD in the Pub series in 2008 we are planning bigger and better things. This year we’ll be expanding the program to one meeting per month and moving the venue around.

Last year’s sessions included assessment and reporting, behaviour management and managing relation-

ships in school, among others. If you have an idea for PD you would like to see us run, please contact me — and likewise if you have a pub that you think would be suitable, especially outside the regular city venues, please drop me a line.

In the past we have run our New Educators Network meetings at the AEU offices in Abbotsford. This year, we’re planning to link our PD in the Pub and NEN meetings together so that NEN will run directly after the presentation.

All teachers and students teachers are welcome to attend and have an opportunity to have their say about what the AEU does for student and graduate members.

Graduate teacher ConferencesThe AEU has for many years run high quality professional issues confer-ences for new teachers. This year will be no exception. Our primary teachers conference will be on May 1 and a secondary conference on May 22.

Speakers confirmed already include Jo Lange, Ross Dean, Christine Daicos, Glen Pearsall, Michael Richards, Karen Terry, Wendy White and many more.

These conferences are a mix of useful information, relevant profes-sional development and entertain-ment, all targeted at the needs of graduate teachers. See you there! ◆

Contact James at [email protected]. For more on NEN, go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/new_educators.

new yEar, new facEs

Ken Masson former vice president TTAV

MARGARET Burns (née Herron) began her teaching career at Sebastopol Technical

School in 1968, and quickly joined the newly formed Technical Teachers Association of Victoria.

Her ability to analyse situations and speak strongly in debates at union meetings and confer-ences soon gained her support, and in 1971 she was elected to the union's registration authority – the body established to try to stop the practice of the Education Department recruiting unqualified people to teach.

A very significant achievement of hers was guiding through a union annual conference a resolution to ban corporal punishment in technical schools. Although the practice was widespread at the time, Margaret's arguments were so powerfully put that the motion was passed with little or no opposition. Eventually the call for abolition was taken up across the education spectrum, and made into law by the Victorian Government.

Shortly after, she was elected to the council and executive of the union where she served with distinction for many years. It was not long before a relationship developed with Ken Burns, the first TTAV secretary, and marriage soon followed. Later, Margaret was elected by members to the new Technical Teachers Registration Board.

Marg was a dedicated and brilliant teacher of humanities, able to reach students, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, and enrich their lives.

As a sub-school leader, head of department, member of the government registration board, union activist, and in whatever else she undertook, Marg's organisation and attention to detail were outstanding. She had the ability to reach well into the heights of the education hierarchy, but preferred to remain a teacher.

Margaret passed away after enduring a cruel and debilitating illness for the past four years of her life. She was brave and cheerful almost to the end and will be missed by her many friends both in and out of education. ◆

valeMargaret Burns 1947 - 2008

Japanese exchangeMEMBERS are invited to take part in this year’s

exchange program with the Shizuoku Teachers’ Union in Japan, part of the longstanding relationship between the two unions.

We are seeking members in the Bendigo area to offer a homestay to a Japanese teacher from August 15-18. Ideally, we would like to place two or three teachers in a school so that they have the support of a colleague.

Teachers interested in the eight-day return trip to Japan during the Term 3 holidays can express interest now. For more details, call Lee-Anne Poynton on (03) 9418 4874 or email [email protected]. ◆


safety MATTERSChristine Stewart deputy branch secretary

Danger in the workshopLarger classes have increased the risk of accidents in technology classes. What can be done to make workshops safer?

THIS column is a little different; normally the focus is on employee health and safety. But today I am writing about an issue where the primary inju-

ries occur to students — although they also result in stress-related illness and injury to many others, including teachers, principals and managers.

Throughout last year I heard about a number of accidents that had occurred in technology (woodwork and metalwork) classrooms, and a number of close calls. WorkSafe is currently taking the Education Depart-ment to court over a number of these incidents.

I do not intend to look at why adolescents do silly things such as remove guards, or investigate the workings of a running engine except to say they do it because they can or to see if they can. And of course recognising the reasons underlying such behaviour may be one way of preventing it.

But what can we do to reduce the chance of such accidents happening? A systemic risk assessment across all schools and TAFEs would probably show that the risk of an incident occurring is not high. But when they do occur, the level of injury is high so we do need to do something.

The department’s reaction has been to bring in Draconian guidelines requiring one-to-one supervision of students when using certain machines — with, of course, no increase in resources. With the input of many of our members we have been able to get this reviewed.

So what can each school and TAFE institute do to reduce the risk?Clearly a risk assessment needs to be carried out in each woodwork or

metalwork room. Standard machinery checks need to be done every day, to ensure that they are in proper working order and that all guards are fitted as required.

But many of these classrooms in our older schools and TAFEs were built when practical classes where much smaller than they are today. So in doing a risk assessment it is crucial to consider class size in the context of the layout of the room. Can you see all students from all areas of the room — especially when students are working on machines?

Is there enough equipment to keep all students occupied so they don’t get bored and frustrated at not being able to get on with their work — in a room where they also have access to tools such as chisels?

Do you need to have too many students on each machine to keep them all occupied?

If the answer to any of these questions indicates a problem, then look to see how it can be eliminated, and discuss it with your health and safety representative so they can raise the issue with the administration. If after that the issue is still not addressed, I suggest the rep put it in writing and if need be start the process to issue a provisional improvement notice (PIN).

For assistance and advice ring your AEU organiser. ◆

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VUR 325 AEU news [124.75x90.75].indd 1 1/15/09 1:13:33 PM

From the archive...pAy Cuts — FoR the GooD oF the CountRy

OCTOBER 1930. The effects of the Depression were beginning to be felt. A Teachers’ Journal editorial lamented: “The good ship Oz is, at present, laboring in the trough of a wave on one of life’s rough oceans.” The Victo-rian Teachers’ Union voted to accept pay cuts “for the good of the country”.

A year later, in a horror year in which unemployment averaged 25.8%, the housing industry collapsed and the price of wheat and wool plummeted, an “Economy” Inquiry into Education was launched.

It resulted in a ban on promotions, and in staff reductions, salary cuts, school amalgamations and closures, increases in high school fees and the closure of Ballarat and Bendigo Teachers’ Colleges.

Despite the fact that teachers had earlier voted to accept pay cuts, the inquiry led to dissension and bitterness. Teachers met to oppose the salary cuts. Union president William Cremor reacted to a spate of anonymous letter writing to the press: “It sickens me to see the abject cringing cowardice of my fellow teachers.”

The general secretary, Mabel Donald, called for a “common and coura-geous stand for our statutory rights,” urging members to “sink all internal differences … and to stand four-square against further exactions.”

When Doris McRae joined the VTU Council in 1934, however, she observed that such wounds were not easily mended. She recalled: “I found the VTU Council riddled with divisions: men versus women, primary teachers versus secondary teachers, town versus country, and there were Masons and also an anti-semitic element.” ◆ — Cheryl Griffin

Cheryl Griffin takes over our regular Archive feature. A teacher at Pascoe Vale Girls College, she has written a PhD thesis on teachers and unionism.


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SOUTH OF FRANCE — LANGUEDOCTwo charming newly renovated traditional stone houses with outside terraces. Sleeps 4 or 6. Market town, Capital of Minervois, wine growing region, close to lake, Canal Midi, Mediterranean beaches, historic towns. From $460 per week. Visit, Web: www.languedocgites.com Email: [email protected].

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Superannuation can be complex and our fund has a wide range of rules across our various schemes. Our Member Education Consultants have a wealth of experience in superannuation and those unique rules. So who better to talk to about your superannuation needs than those who run the fund?

If you’re one of the privileged who joined ESS Super before it closed to new members*, our Member Education Consultants can assist you with the essential issues you need to consider in planning for retirement and provide you with all the options available to you.

ESS Super has also ‘partnered’ with a licensed fi nancial planning organisation to provide you with fee for service (commission free) fi nancial advice.

You can discuss with our Member Education Consultants whether an appointment with a fi nancial adviser is for you.

We’re working together with our members

ESS Super is the dedicated super fund for emergency services and state employees who previously had their super managed by Emergency Services Super and the Victorian State Super Fund.

So, whether your goal is to boost your retirement savings, provide fi nancial protection for your family, transition to retirement, or say goodbye to work, ESS Super can help you achieve your goals.

To arrange an appointment with an ESS Super Member Education Consultant call 1300 655 476 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

* The fund remains open to new emergency services employees.

Talk to the people who run your fund

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Growing.

east timor project seeks way forwardRachel Power AEU News

VISITING East Timor for its three-day national education conference

late last year, AEU vice president Secondary Meredith Peace took the opportunity to “get a feel for how the Friendship School Project has been working on the ground”.

The Australia East Timor Friend-ship School Project (FSP) is currently in a state of flux, since the Alola Foundation decided it could no longer support the project as a priority. As a member of the FSP steering committee, Meredith’s visit will help the group decide how to move forward without Alola’s involvement.

With East Timor largely safe and politically stable now, the Government is “making real moves to get things up and going,” Meredith says.

“There was a really positive air there, but there are so many competing needs.

“Education is a priority but they need the infrastructure, like roads, just to get kids to school, let alone building proper permanent structures

with electricity and so on.” Language was the main point of

debate at the conference. As the country’s local tongue, Tetum, is not a written language, a push is underway to re-establish Portuguese in schools as East Timor’s official language.

“This will mean a complex program of regional training,” Meredith says. “Timorese teachers are largely without qualifications and many don’t speak Portuguese themselves — let alone the problem of accessing remote areas.”

Considering the lack of training for teachers there, the level of

questioning and debate at the conference was impressive, Meredith says. She noted that government officials ignored a question from the floor about the obvious need for a teachers’ union, despite the fact that a large number of teachers in the region are unpaid.

She hopes Education International might consider playing a role in helping to develop a trade union for East Timorese teachers.

FSP is considering several options, including sponsorship from AusAid to establish co-ordinators both here and in East Timor, and making stronger

links with other local friendship groups.

The Australian union movement is active in other spheres of East Timorese life. Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA is supporting the Expres-sional Arts Project again in 2009, which sees Timor-Leste students devise performances that address the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers. Last year, the students led East Timor’s May Day march with their performance depicting the plight of oppressed workers in the region.

This year’s program, which runs until October, aims to take dramas about human rights, child protection and workers’ issues to communities in 13 districts. EAP staff will receive training in workers’ matters, so that they can lead discussions with the community.

APHEDA will also help the project to construct a recording studio, where staff will record radio dramas to be distributed to community radio stations throughout Timor-Leste. ◆


intern

ational

THE friendship between two unlikely pen pals is the subject of Adam

Elliot’s affecting new claymation film Mary & Max, the follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2003 short Harvie Krumpet.

Mary (voiced by Toni Collette) is an awkward eight-year-old living in Mount Waverley with her virtually absent dad and her perpetually “wobbly” mum. Longing for a friend besides her pet rooster, she tears a page from an American phone book and writes to Max Jerry Horowitz (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), an elderly Jewish man with Asperger’s Syndrome living alone in Manhattan.

Both are innocents buffeted by a harsh and complex world they don’t quite understand. But through it all, and despite misunderstandings, their lifelong friendship endures.

The film raises lots of issues that its producers believe could be

stimulating for classroom groups. Growing up in Mt Waverly in the

1970s and 80s, among a large Greek and Italian population, Adam always befriended the kids who were bullied or racially vilified.

“At my birthday parties there would be this eclectic mix of kids that no-one wanted to be friends with. I was trying to protect them. And now I think my scripts are about fighting the injustice that they endured.

“I’m trying to educate audiences about: ‘Don’t you understand what it’s like to be that person? I’m going to put you in their shoes for the next hour and a half.’”

Producer Melanie Coombs says Adam’s voice as a writer is one that is innocent and yet not naïve. “One of the things about Adam’s storytelling style is that it’s about an innocent in a complicated world.” For his part, Adam says the main theme of his films

is accepting yourself and others.

“I truly empathise with the lost and disregarded, marginalised and melancholic. I am drawn to these people and their stories; I cannot help it.”

The character of Max is actually based on Adam’s real-life pen pal, who found him through a fanzine. “They say truth is stranger than fiction. If I tried to invent someone like Max, that’d be pretty hard. But fortunately I had all these letters.”

The film opens with an abundance of detail of suburban Melbourne, which Adam renders with comic and sometimes nauseating accuracy.

“When I write my scripts I start with detail and work backwards whereas other writers start with structure and add the detail,” he explains. “I’m prob-ably a bit obsessive-compulsive.”

Necessarily so, it seems, when

making films that require 50 people to produce an average two-and-half minutes of animation per week.

Since Harvie Krumpet scored an Oscar, Adam and Melanie have had to hold tight to their vision in the face of industry pressure. Their philosophy: “Use the hype but don’t believe it.” They compare it to getting a high score on your HSC and everyone telling you to do medicine.

“We look at each other and say, ‘You don’t really want to be a doctor, do you? Me either.’” ◆

Mary and Max opens April 9. For a chance to win free tickets, subscribe to the AEU e-newsletter at www.aeuvic.asn.au.

Mary, Max — and adamAsperger’s Syndrome forms the backdrop for an engaging new animation with lessons for students and teachers alike, writes Rachel Power.

DeniALTony TaylorMUP, RRP $34.95

BEST known to teachers for his efforts to thwart John Howard’s attempt to impose a narrow history curriculum, Tony Taylor is a formidable historian in his own right. But Denial is a book which should appeal to a much wider audience.

Taylor’s interest is what, in the absence of a compelling argument, leads people like David Irving and Keith Windshuttle to defend the indefensible: to insist that the Holocaust is a fabrication or that reports of the mistreatment of Australian Aborigines are the product of a left-wing conspiracy to discredit white settlers.

Denial stands up well as history but is equally successful as an account of six important cases of wilful denial: Turkey and the Armenians, Irving and the Holocaust, the Japanese in Nanking, Stalinist atrocities, Serb crimes in Bosnia and the treatment of Aborigines in the 19th century.

Taylor’s aim is to set the record straight and to understand the motivation and techniques of the deniers. The historian and the psychologist work hand in hand to reveal “deep-seated prejudices …and overweening egos”. ◆ — GT

LiFe in seVen MistAKesSusan JohnsonRandom House, RRP $32.95

THE power of Life in Seven Mistakes creeps up on you. What at first appears an enjoyable domestic tale about an extended family thrown together at Christmas becomes a full-blown family saga, and ultimately a moving statement on the nature of love.

Elizabeth is a 49-year-old sculptor on the crest of international success. Her three children (each by a different father) and third husband are spending Christmas on the Gold Coast with her parents, Bob and Nancy, along with her brother and his family. Another brother is in jail.

Bob and Nancy have fallen into painfully familiar roles — he the domineering tradition-alist, she his prim and loyal defender — and Elizabeth feels like a child again in their presence.

What has led to these entrenched family dynamics is slowly revealed through flashbacks, and with it the question of where responsibility lies in creating our relationships, especially with parents. A book full of hard-won insights. ◆

— RP

the WACKnessDir: Jonathan LevineMA, 99 mins, Madman Films

THE Wackness is on the surface a pretty outrageous film. And yet, at its heart this is a sweet coming-of-age drama — don’t let the sordid context put you off.

It’s the summer of 1994, and the streets of New York are pulsing with hip-hop despite Mayor Giuliani’s mission to clean up the city. Loner Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) spends his last summer before university selling marijuana on the streets from a mobile ice-cream chest. One of his regular customers is an unorthodox psycho-therapist, Dr Squires (Ben Kingsley) — who pays in treatment time — dealing with his own disintegrating marriage and warning Luke off his beautiful stepdaughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby).

Winner of last year’s Sundance audience award, The Wackness features a brilliant and occasionally hilarious script from up-and-comer Levine and an extraordinary performance from Kingsley. Ultimately it’s a poignant take on the painful disillusionment of growing up — and the importance of friendship in helping you find strength amid life’s disappointments. ◆ — RP

Win

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Win teaching resourcesSIGN UP TO THE AEU E-NEWSLETTER AT www.aeuvic.asn.au FOR THE CHANCE TO

WIN MORE GIVEAWAYS!Aeu neWs is giving members the opportunity to win a variety of Australian resources for their school libraries from our good friends at black dog books and ABC Books.To enter, simply email us at [email protected] by 10am Wednesday March 4. Include your name and school or workplace. Write Win Teaching Resources in the subject line.Prizes will be sent directly to the winner’s school or workplace with a special inscription recognising the winner. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winners from AEU News 8: The Octopus’s Garden — Athena Warren, Doncaster PS; Danny da Vinci — Maria Serra, Toolamba PS; Climate Change — Tom Vran, Chandler SC; Hatshepsut — Rod Hall, Bright P-12 College; King of Kid’s Paradise — Paul Dobney, Kallista PS; The Letterbook 1 — Joanne Thompson, Western Port SC; Spies — Maxine Andrews, Swan Hill College; Nyuntu Ninti — Liz Santucci, Portland South PS. First Australian DVD — Mary Anagnostopoulos, Thornbury HS; Ross McKinlay, Oberon South PS; Nicholas Cummins, Werribee SC.

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The Lost Shimmaron Series (3 books) by Tansy Rayner Roberts, Margo Lanagan and Rowena Cory DanielsThe Lost Shimmaron is a shared-world series by seven of Australia’s best authors for children. Each is a stand-alone adventure, but as the series progresses readers discover more about the true nature of the Shimmaron, and why only the children of the Amethyst can help. Published by ABC Books, RRP $12.95 each.

A Story of Natural Numbers by David DemantWhat is a natural number? We can’t pick it up, we can’t see it, touch it or smell it. A number is an idea, and maths is a language for communication like any other language. There is nothing logical about the way it developed — the process was uneven and very human. This is a story of numbers and how they evolved from very humble beginnings. Published by black dog books, RRP $24.99.

the Letterbook 2: passion for Fashionby Ellie RoyceThere’s a competition. Girlzone magazine is looking for REAL GIRLS and they’ll come to the winning school to do makeovers and a fashion shoot. Then, life at home becomes complicated. Passion for Fashion is the mad, funny story of the way real life keeps causing trouble, and the way real friends can help make our dreams come true. Published by ABC Books, RRP $14.95.

so you want to be prime Minister?by Nicolas BraschSo you want to be prime minister? You have a better than average chance if your first name is John and you were born in Victoria. This fast-paced easily-read history of our prime ministers has all the fun stuff and none of the boring bits. Hilariously brought to life by famed political cartoonist David Rowe. Published by black dog books, RRP $16.99.


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AEU News Vol 15 Issue 1

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