The Liberal Government was elected to fix the $1.1 billion
Labor-Green budget mess and we won't be deterred or held ransom from doing so.
We have invested a record $1.4 billion in education, which means every
Tasmanian school has a minimum of a five per cent increase in the Fairer Funding component of their
resource package funding.
However, because the Australian Education Union chose a pay rise over our
sensible pay freeze proposal there's simply not enough money to fund existing staffing
levels.
Not one teaching position would have lost their job if the unions had accepted
the pay freeze.
The
straw-man proposal put up the unions simply didn't add up - it would have left
a $70 million hole in the budget.
Parents who are concerned about the impact on their school should ask
their local AEU representative why they chose a pay rise, knowing the
consequences.
I would like to assure parents that we are working with every Tasmanian school
to gather information about how many staff members plan to take part in the
strike, and we will advise parents as soon as possible about what it means for
their school on Thursday.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Education and Training