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5000 trees planted Chilly weather wasn’t enough to deter the green thumbs across Casey who pitched in to plant 5,000 trees in Cranbourne
West as part of this year’s National Tree Day on Sunday 26 July. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 14
BAPS Australia ready to get their hands dirty. (564200)
No end in sight By Afraa Kori Victoria’s teachers remain no closer to a new pay deal, with the new Premier MP Ben Carroll standing by Labor’s rejected offer. On his first day as Victoria’s 50th Premier, Mr Carroll came under immediate pressure in Parliament after Victorian Greens leader MP Ellen Sandell challenged the Government over its handling of the ongoing teachers’ pay dispute. Ms Sandell reminded the new Premier that more than 30,000 teachers and education support staff had brought Melbourne to a “standstill” during their second strike last Thursday (23 July). “They’re fed up with being undervalued by the Labor Government,” she said in parliament. “Victorian public school teachers are still the worst paid in the country. “The Premier has just received a promotion
leading in 18 out of 20 and the credit belongs to our teachers.” Mr Carroll inherited the unresolved industrial dispute after the former premier Jacinta Allan resigned this week due to internal party pressure. Under the latest offer revealed on July 17, teacher, principal and education support staff salaries will rise by at least 28.3 per cent over the next four years, starting with an increase of 12.75 per cent by October 2026. It would also include changes to education support staff wages, teacher workloads and additional payments for experienced teachers. Compulsory teacher meeting time would be cut from 80 hours a year to 40 hours, while classroom teachers at the top of the pay scale would receive an annual one per cent lump-sum payment. The Australian Education Union (AEU) rejected the government’s offer on the basis that it
did not adequately address excessive workloads, staff shortages and the resources needed to support students. AEU Victorian Branch president Justin Mullaly said while there was a new Premier in place, the challenges facing public education remained unchanged. “He (Ben Caroll) knows all the issues when it comes to public education,” Mr Mullaly said. “For his government to call Victoria the education state there’s a couple of critical things that they must do to come even close.” He called on the Labor Government to first sign a full funding agreement for public schools with the Commonwealth and deliver a pay and conditions offer that “properly respects” and “values” the work of principals, teachers and education support staff. READ MORE ACROSS PAGES 2-3
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after years of underpaying teachers and education support staff. “Will he now appoint an education minister who will do what he failed to do and deliver teachers, support staff and schools the pay, conditions and funding they deserve?” Mr Carroll immediately rejected the premise of the question and gave no indication the government would return with an improved offer. “This was the biggest deal ever offered to Victorian teachers,” he said. “Let me be very clear about this. This was $5 billion dollars over four years into teachers, wages and conditions that would have made them and the education support staff the highest paid in the nation. “Now, I want to say to our Victorian teachers, they are the best in Australia. Under those opposite, we were 11 out of 20 in Naplan. We are now