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EDUCATION
Fix this textJOURNAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION
Fix this textpp 25500 3 0 0 1 0 4
Fix this textVol. 84 N 0.4 March 31. 2003
Fix this textHolding the ALP to their promises
Fix this textby Maree O’Halloran, Jennifer Leete
Fix this textand Angelo Gavrielatos
Fix this textThe Cam Government has been returned to
Fix this textoffice with an increased majority after putting
Fix this textitself before the electorate on a public educa-
Fix this texttion platform.
Fix this textThe campaign by teachers, parents and
Fix this textprincipals as the Public Education Alliance
Fix this textfocussed on achieving the key recommenda-
Fix this texttions of the Vinson Inquiry.
Fix this textSo effective was the campaign that both
Fix this textthe ALP and the Coalition had to focus their
Fix this textpolicy announcements around these key recom-
Fix this textmendations.
Fix this textFederation had high expectations that the
Fix this textmajor political parties would recognise and
Fix this textaddress the needs of public education.
Fix this textThere is no doubt some significant promises
Fix this texthave been made as a result of the concerted
Fix this textefforts and collective action on the part of
Fix this textthe membership. Furthermore, as a result of
Fix this textFederation’s pressure and influence in the lead
Fix this textup to the election, the union will not be forced
Fix this textinto a massive rear guard campaign to defeat
Fix this texta plethora of regressive policies as had been
Fix this textthe case in the past.
Fix this textIn contrast, Federation will be able to focus
Fix this textand concentrate energies and resources on
Fix this textcampaigns to achieve further advancements.
Fix this textWhile the policy announcements by the ALP
Fix this textclearly do not meet the Vinson benchmarks,
Fix this textthey do not run counter to the Vinson bench-
Fix this textmarks. They represent an acknowledgment of
Fix this textthe issues and begin to address them.
Fix this textEducation was the centrepiece of Bob Cam’s
Fix this textelection policy launch on March 9.
Fix this textIn his speech on that day he referred to
Fix this textpublic education as follows: “It’s a strong
Fix this textsystem. We want to make it even stronger.” He
Fix this textalso referred to the ALP’s education plan as:
Fix this text“It’s a plan parents can rely on us to deliver
Fix this textin full; carefiilly targeted, affordable, achiev-
Fix this textable.”
Fix this textThe issue on which the ALP remained
Fix this textconspicuously and deliberately silent during
Fix this textthe state election was Federation’s salary claim
Fix this textincluding the immediate five per cent catch
Fix this textup salary increase recommended by Inquiry
Fix this textinto the Provision of Public Education chair
Fix this textProfessor Tony Vinson.
Fix this textThe most offered by Minister John Watkins
Fix this textwas that “the Government is not prepared to
Fix this textnegotiate an additional pay rise outside the
Fix this textaward” but that he was “committed to a process
Fix this textthat would see a new teachers’ award developed
Fix this textto operate after the current award expires
Fix this textat the end of December 2003. In addition, I
Fix this textam committed to ensure that the process put
Fix this textin place to develop a new teachers’ award
Fix this textrecognised and supports the professional work
Fix this textof teachers”.
Fix this textMr Watkins also said during the election
Fix this textcampaign: “I will do nothing to denigrate or
Fix this textundermine the profession.”
Fix this textProfessor Vinson delivered a clear and posi-
Fix this texttive plan for a strong future for public educa-
Fix this texttion. Federation and its members, with the
Fix this textsupport of parents, delivered a strong campaign
Fix this textthat resulted in a “bidding war” on the part
Fix this textof the major political parties in their attempts
Fix this textto win the public education vote. It is now
Fix this texttime for the Carr Government to deliver on
Fix this textits commitments in a way that retains public
Fix this texteducation at centre stage and builds on its
Fix this textstrengths in the interests of our students and
Fix this textour communities.
Fix this textAt the time of writing, the Carr Govern-
Fix this textment’s new Cabinet had not been announced
Fix this textand it was unsure whether John Watkins would
Fix this textremain as Education Minister.
Fix this textMaree O’Halloran
Fix this textis the President,
Fix this textJen-
Fix this textnifer Leete
Fix this textis the Deputy President and
Fix this textAngelo Gavrielatos
Fix this textis the Senior Vice Pres-
Fix this textident.
Fix this textPAGE 3: The promises that
Fix this textLabor must keep
Fix this textSalaries negotiations must commence
Fix this textby Maree O’Halloran
Fix this textFederation made repeated representations to Educa-
Fix this texttion Minister John Watkins and Premier Bob Carr
Fix this textthroughout 2002 and 2003 about award negotia-
Fix this texttions and significantly increasing teachers’ salaries.
Fix this textThere has also been paid advertising about teach-
Fix this texters’ salaries, numerous media releases and media
Fix this textinterviews with Federation’s Senior Officers and
Fix this textnotification to the Industrial Relations Commis-
Fix this textsion.
Fix this textImmediately following February Council, the
Fix this textGovernment was called upon to join the Federation
Fix this textin the Industrial Relations Commission to include
Fix this textthe “Vinson five per cent” salary increase in the
Fix this textcurrent award. This call was emphasised on Febru-
Fix this textary 19 at the Sydney Town Hall in front of 2500
Fix this textteachers. That event was the first public event of
Fix this textthe salaries campaign.
Fix this textIn an election campaign heavily focused on
Fix this texteducation, there was a conspicuous and deliberate
Fix this textsilence from the Carr Government about the need
Fix this textto significantly increase teachers’ salaries. The
Fix this textmantra about negotiating after the election was
Fix this textrepeated often by the Minister. Thus, inexorably and
Fix this textinevitably, it would appear that the Government has
Fix this textset the stage for a repeat of the last bitter salaries
Fix this textround. Federation’s history with the Carr Govern-
Fix this textment means teacher unionists must be prepared for
Fix this textindustrial action when necessary.
Fix this textThe Premier’s views
Fix this textOn March 21 in the Sydney Morning Herald, the
Fix this textPremier expressed the following views about teach-
Fix this texters’ salaries:
Fix this text“Q: Can we go to education: You’ve got a round
Fix this textof wage negotiations with the Teachers Federation
Fix this textvery soon. Are you going to force them to the table
Fix this texton performance pay?
Fix this text“A: On performance pay? I’m not sure if there’s
Fix this textever been a satisfactory way of measuring the
Fix this textperformance of teachers. It strikes me as a very
Fix this textsubjective area. I’ve been to schools for kids with
Fix this textdisabilities, special education schools. I’ve been
Fix this textin a classroom where the teacher is working with
Fix this textthese Down syndrome youngsters to get them to the
Fix this textstage where they can read a rail timetable so they
Fix this textcan get to work on their own. How do you measure
Fix this textthe performance of a teacher in a comprehensive
Fix this texthigh school who has a class of youngsters all drawn
Fix this textfrom a public housing.estate? Most from single
Fix this textparent families, few with a desk to study at, many of
Fix this textthem with unstable homes? How do we measure the
Fix this textperformance of that teacher compared to a teacher
Fix this textin a selective high, recruiting at the start of year 7
Fix this textthe most motivated youngsters in our society? I’ve
Fix this textnever seen a system to do it.
Fix this text“Q: But if you want to elevate the quality of
Fix this textteaching, which you talk about a lot, how can you
Fix this textdo it without having some level of reward for the
Fix this textbetter teacher or the really good teacher?
Fix this text“A: What we need are more gradations within
Fix this textteaching. At the present, we’ve got the highest
Fix this textstarting pay for teachers in Australia, but at about I
Fix this textthink after eight years a teacher reaches a level he
Fix this textor she could well be on for the rest of their career.
Fix this textThat’s the challenge. We need more gradations.
Fix this text“Q: Are you going to hand out those higher pay
Fix this textbands based on seniority as the current system
Fix this textexists?
Fix this text“A: I’ve challenged the Teachers Federation and
Fix this textthe department in several meetings over the past
Fix this text12 months to work creatively on options for the
Fix this textnew award and it includes all these opportunities.
Fix this textIt’s going to take goodwill and creativity on both
Fix this textsides.”
Fix this textNegotiations
Fix this textThe Premier’s words do provide a “glimmer of
Fix this texthope” about salaries negotiations.
Fix this textApart from quantum increases in our claim of
Fix this text(10%+5%+5% over two years) for the next award
Fix this textand the “Vinson five per cent” in this award, the
Fix this textfollowing issues are absolutely critical:
Fix this text1. Salary increases to be fully-funded from
Fix this textTreasury to ensure that students’ learning conditions
Fix this textand teachers’ working conditions are not cut;
Fix this text2. Stability or enhancement of working condi-
Fix this texttions.
Fix this textBoth the Premier and the Minister have been
Fix this textadvised that these issues are critical and will form
Fix this textthe basis of our negotiations.
Fix this textAdvertising
Fix this textPaid advertising about teachers’ salaries commenced
Fix this textin January 2003 and will continue throughout this
Fix this textyear.
Fix this textMaree O’Halloran
Fix this textis the President.
Fix this textWollongong TAFE teachers lead the way on salaries: Wollongong TAFE
Fix this textFederation Representative Rob Long (right) addresses about 130 teachers
Fix this textat a stopwork meeting on March 19. Details page 2.
Fix this textLetter to John Watkins
Fix this text19 March 2003
Fix this textDear Mr Watkins,
Fix this textRe: Teachers’ Salaries
Fix this textI refer to our letters of 9 December 2002 and 17 February 2003 regarding
Fix this textteachers’ salaries. The Federation has also made repeated representations to you
Fix this textthroughout 2002 about award negotiations and significantly increasing teachers’
Fix this textsalaries. To date the Federation has received no formal, written response to
Fix this textthese letters or our representations. Your answer to the question about teachers’
Fix this textsalaries, asked of all political parties in the lead up to the State Election, was
Fix this textcursory at best.
Fix this textI note your promise made at the Town Hall on 19 February 2003 not to
Fix this textdenigrate the profession during the salaries negotiations and your intention to
Fix this texthave a negotiated settlement in place by 31 December 2003 (the end date of the
Fix this textcurrent award). These statements are, of course, welcome and the Federation
Fix this texthas notified the Industrial Relations Commission that both parties have publicly
Fix this textevinced an intention to reach a negotiated settlement. The Federation will be
Fix this textcontacting you immediately after the State Election to commence negotiations
Fix this textproper about the next award and the quantum increase for teachers.
Fix this textMeanwhile, I reiterate that the teaching profession expects and anticipates
Fix this textthat the “Vinson 5 per cent” will be paid in 2003. Your negative response on the
Fix this textairwaves to this issue is causing unrest amongst teachers. I therefore foreshadow
Fix this textthat the Federation will be approaching the incoming Government to jointly
Fix this textlodge with the Federation in the Industrial Relations Commission the attached
Fix this textvariation to the award. The variation increases award rates by 5 per cent. I believe
Fix this textthat this process will accommodate your stated desire not to act outside the
Fix this textaward and it will certainly be seen as an act of goodwill and good faith by the
Fix this textteaching profession.
Fix this textBarry Johnson
Fix this textGeneral Secretary
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775792
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved August 18, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775792
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 18 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775792>
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 18 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775792
{{Citation
| author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
| author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
| title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
| year=1919
| section=volumes.
| issn=0013-1156
| issue=Vol. 84 No. 04 (31 Mar 2003)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=The Federation
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775792
| id=nla.obj-682775792
| access-date=18 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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