journal mar 2015

Q U E E N S L A N D T E A C H E R S ’

13 March 2015Volume 120 number 2

Also in this issue: state election master teacher temp teacher pay win guidance officers

Members take a stand for TAFE

Find the right fit for your classroomThe search for the right device for you and your students can be challenging and confusing - which device will best cater for my students’ individual learning styles? For some, a traditional laptop may be ideal, others may benefit from a 2 in 1 device and, in some cases, a tablet may be the right choice. But it’s not all about the device - you need to consider the range of programs, apps and online services available on the device, that best suit your teaching and learning needs. When it comes to choosing the right solutions for teachers and students, ASI is here to help.

Your school deserves a complete solution from ASI.

Call 1300 368 010 or email [email protected] to discuss your requirements. To organise a demonstration of devices, customised parent purchase portal or to request a quote; visit asi.com.au/edudevices

Microsoft in the Classroom - a world of choice for both teachers and students

Send your letter to the editor

Letters should be no more than 200 words in length and may be edited for publication.

online: www.qtu.asn.au/lettersemail : [email protected]: PO Box 1750, Milton LPO 4064fax: 07 3512 9050

Editorial policy Articles and letters should be sent to ‘The General Secretary, Queensland Teachers’ Journal Editor, PO Box 1750, Milton BC, 4064’, faxed to (07) 3512 9050 or emailed to [email protected]. Letters should be no more than 200 words in length. Articles should be a maximum length of 500 words. All submissions should be signed and those wishing to remain anonymous should indicate their name is not for publication. Articles, letters to the editor and advertising in this journal do not necessarily represent the views of the Union. The next edition will be published on 24 April 2015. The deadline for all editorial and advertising material is 30 March 2015. For advertising enquiries, email [email protected] or call (07) 3512 9000.

13 March 2015Q U E E N S L A N D T E A C H E R S ’

www.qtu.asn.auISSN 0033-6238

This QR code will take you to the QTU website. In order to scan QR codes, your mobile device must have a QR code reader app installed.

Cover image: TAFE rally outside the Executive Building in Brisbane during their stop-work action (p.15)

Find the right fit for your classroomThe search for the right device for you and your students can be challenging and confusing - which device will best cater for my students’ individual learning styles? For some, a traditional laptop may be ideal, others may benefit from a 2 in 1 device and, in some cases, a tablet may be the right choice. But it’s not all about the device - you need to consider the range of programs, apps and online services available on the device, that best suit your teaching and learning needs. When it comes to choosing the right solutions for teachers and students, ASI is here to help.

Your school deserves a complete solution from ASI.

Call 1300 368 010 or email [email protected] to discuss your requirements. To organise a demonstration of devices, customised parent purchase portal or to request a quote; visit asi.com.au/edudevices

Microsoft in the Classroom - a world of choice for both teachers and students

8 Class sizes

12 Education brief

16 Master teacher

17 Christmas pay win for temporary teachers

18 Guidance officers

19 Senior assessment review latest

20 AEU Conference

21 Teacher transfers

features

regulars 4 News

5 Editorial

7 From the President

9 From the VP

23 New teachers

25 Legal

27 QTAD

29 Lighter side

30 Retired teachers

31 At leisure

35 QTU contacts

35 Classifieds

35 Anniversaries, reunions and events

10 State election

15 TAFE stop-work

Vol 120 No 2 | Queensland Teachers' Journal 3

Pictured left to right from top: Terry Evans, Meegan Maguire, Lin Esders, Jodie McFadden, Julieanne Gilbert, Bob Shaw, Fiona McNamara and Ron Frame.

News

4 Queensland Teachers' Journal | Vol 120 No 2

The start of the 2015 school year has brought with it a number of changes among the QTU’s regional Organisers.

On the Sunshine Coast, long serving Organiser Terry Evans has retired. Terry was appointed as Sunshine Coast Organiser on 2 September 2000 after many years as a committed and dedicated rank-and-file activist. He has been replaced as Sunshine Coast Organiser by former Moreton Organiser Meegan Maguire.

Meegan’s replacement in Moreton is Lin Esders, the former Gold Coast Organiser. Taking on the Gold Coast role in an acting capacity is Jodie McFadden, English HOD at Benowa State High School and Gold Coast Area Council representative on QTU State Council. Jodie is scheduled to act in the Gold Coast Organiser role until 26 June.

Julieanne Gilbert, North Queensland Organiser since 2002, won a stunning victory in the state election, which saw her elected to represent the seat of Mackay in State Parliament. As a result of Julieanne’s election, Bob Shaw has been appointed as acting North Queensland Organiser for term one, up to and including Friday 17 April. Bob is currently a senior teacher at Mackay North State High School and is also a State Council representative, Mackay North President, and a member of the QTU’s Appointments, Awards and State Accommodation committees.

Finally, Brisbane North Organiser Fiona McNamara has been asked to act as an advisor to the newly-elected Premier, with her areas of responsibilities including industrial relations. In her absence, Fiona's predecessor as Brisbane North Organiser, Ron Frame, will return to the role in an acting capacity.

All change for QTU Organisers

Julie honoured by the AEUFormer QTU Vice-President Julie Brown has been awarded Life Membership of the Australian Education Union. Julie, who retired in January after 9 years as Vice-President, collected the honour in February at the AEU Federal Conference in Melbourne.

Cyclone MarciaOnce again, Queensland communities, schools, teachers and students have been touched by natural disaster in the form of Tropical Cyclone Marcia.

On Friday 20 February, QTU members across Central Queensland and Wide Bay suffered the direct impact of the severe weather conditions brought on by Cyclone Marcia. In a number of cases, members experienced inundation to their homes, loss of roofs, destruction of household furniture and other possessions and the widespread loss of power and water supplies.

The QTU has activated its Natural Disaster Relief Fund to provide some relief to affected members. Details can be found at www.qtu.asn.au/disaster-relief

QTU members in the affected areas suffering hardship as a result of Cyclone Marcia were supported by relief payments of up to $1,000. At the time of writing, $36,975.00 had been paid out to assist members.

The experience has raised a number of questions. Opening schools is an important return to normality for students dealing with the trauma of a natural disaster. But the events are also traumatic for school staff and their families, who are often dealing with damage to their own property. This needs to be taken into account in the opening of schools, as should damage to the school, and matters like electricity and water supply.

There have been many long conversations with the department both before and since the cyclone about the closing and opening of schools. The QTU is collating information from members and will hold a mass meeting in Rockhampton in the near future to look at better ways to handle the preparation for and aftermath of natural disasters.

Any comments or ideas from members can be sent to [email protected].

Opportunities with the new government


The election of an ALP government under Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has changed the prospects for Queensland state school teachers, principals and students for 2015 and beyond.

The choices were stark. The LNP had policies for contracts for principals and deputy principals, performance bonuses, removal of conditions from awards under the guise of modernisation and severe limits on enterprise bargaining, which the QTU was due to commence in July this year. In TAFE, in addition, their policy was total contestability of course funding and they had transferred all the assets of TAFE to a separate authority for hiring out.

The ALP‘s policy was of no performance-based contracts for principals – a policy announced last year and spoken about by the then shadow education spokesman, Dr. Anthony Lynham, when he addressed the QTU State Council.

In lieu of performance bonuses, ALP policy, announced a week before the election, is to start the lengthy process of establishing a new classification structure for classroom teachers, which will allow teachers to be certified as highly accomplished or lead teachers at rates of pay to be established by the Industrial Relations Commission. Establishing such a scheme is not a simple or quick process, but it was never going to occur until there was a commitment to start.

Of course the classification structure for promotional positions also needs re-examination, including the classification of schools with more than 2,500 students.

Industrially, unwinding the legislation around award modernisation and enterprise bargaining may take time. Instead of bargaining this year, it may be that a

carry-over EB agreement is struck, for an appropriate pay increase, until the LNP’s lop-sided and unfair legislation can be changed. This will require more detailed discussion with the government.

In TAFE, there is a promise of a cap on contestable funding and an increase in the number of teachers, to start to reverse – and it is only a start – the damage that has been done to TAFE.

In schools too, there is the promise of an additional 870 teachers over three years, over and above those required for enrolment growth, and an additional 45 guidance officers. The government has also spoken about looking at ways to increase respect for teachers in the community, something that the QTU is more than willing to explore.

The QTU will also be looking to negotiate ways to improve job security and reduce workload pressures with the new government.

Under the new government, the renamed Department for Education and Training (DET) will be overseen by two ministers. New Education Minister Kate Jones will be

responsible for schools, while new Skills and Training Minister Yvette D’Ath will oversee TAFE and VET.

Kate Jones (pictured left) is one of a handful of experienced ministers in the government, with a strong personal commitment to public education. She told the department’s principal conference last week about her son starting prep at the local state school this year.

As shadow minister, Yvette D’Ath (pictured right) was responsible for the development of the ALP’s policies regarding TAFE. In her former role as federal member for Petrie she was one of the staunchest proponents of better and fairer funding for schools under Gonski.

Of course this is a minority government, dependent on the support of Peter Wellington, the independent Member for Nicklin. One of his conditions is the restoration of proper processes of government, something that QTU members would support. The practical consequence is that some changes we seek may not happen as quickly as we might like. We should be pushy but realistic as we work with the new government to implement their policies and to negotiate ours.

Graham MoloneyGENERAL SECRETARY

Editorial

Labour Day weekend will fast be upon us, so don’t forget to mark out the celebration on your calendars now!

Over the weekend of 2 and 3 May, local Labour Day celebrations and marches will be taking place throughout the state. Confirmed events will be published through QTU communications and on our website.

The Brisbane March will take place on Sunday 3 May and will follow the same route as the 2014 March. We have much to be proud about, to celebrate and to continue fighting for loudly and proudly, especially the current pressing attacks on worker’s rights at a federal level.

John Battams, President of the Queensland Council of Unions, has already publicly called on the new Labor

government to revert the Labour Day public holiday back to May, following the actions of the Newman government, which moved Labour Day from May to October (and overturned the decision of the previous Parliament to move the Queen’s birthday public holiday from June to October).

At the time of going to print, it was unlikely that this correction would take place in 2015, with 2016 more likely.

Penny SpaldingASSISTANT SECRETARY - WOMEN AND SOCIAL WELFARE ISSUES

Proud of your profession and of your membership of the QTU?

Thanks to the QTU iShop, now you can let the world know. The iShop gives members the opportunity to purchase QTU-badged clothing and accessories online and have them shipped to your door.

Visit www.qtu.asn.au/ishop to find out more.

Labour Day 2015


News

Young asylum seekers have a right to an education tooChild asylum seekers have a right to an education not detention, according to the Australian Education Union (AEU).

The AEU has called on the Abbott federal government to ensure child asylum seekers are removed from detention centres and provided with an education.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said the Human Rights Commission report “The Forgotten Children” had detailed serious violations of the rights of children in detention centres to access an education.

Ms Haythorpe said: “This report details the shocking treatment of children in Australian detention centres and the horrendous damage it is doing to them. It makes clear that long-term detention of children causes mental illness, trauma and harm which will affect them for their entire lives.

“Among the many serious issues raised is the lack of education for many of these children. Many have been denied education for months on end, or accompanied to school by guards. This is particularly serious because we know that education, conducted outside detention centres allowing children to engage with the community, is a protective factor against the long-term effects of detention.

“Many of these children have suffered traumatic experiences before arriving in Australia and we owe it to them to ensure their traumas are not worsened.

“It should never be policy to deprive children of an education by holding them in detention centres.”

In the latter part of 2014, I considered through this column the prospects for the Australian education system in light of overseas experience of the marketisation of education. New research in Australia into outcomes of schooling and the marketisation of the vocational education and training (VET) sector reveals the full potential of the problem.

Data mined from the federal government’s MySchool website has cast a spotlight onto the gap between cost of education and student outcomes. The accepted wisdom that non-government schools deliver better outcomes for students and save the government money is dismantled by Chris Bonnor and Bernie Shepherd ( “School funding and achievement” January 2015 – http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/moneytrail.pdf ) who conclude that the extra money invested in Catholic and independent schools does not deliver any better outcomes.

In essence, comparing schools with the same or similar ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) scores reveals that an extra $3.3 billion is spent on educating students in non-government schools for no net gain in student results. In independent schools, for example, that represents an extra $1,389 per student, much of which comes from student fees. Bonnor and Shepherd conclude that redirection of that $3.3 billion in government funding to the neediest students would deliver significant improvements in outcomes.

Without surrendering the argument for implementation of the complete Gonski school funding package on a recurrent basis,

it is possible to accept the argument put by Bonnor and Shepherd that, in the interim, the redirection of current spending would make good use of scarce resources and have a greater chance of improving overall student achievement.

In the VET sector, marketisation has reached a fever pitch. The elimination of government subsidies means that students in VET are now required to pay the full cost of many courses, resulting in an explosion in access to student loans in the form of VET FEE-HELP. Just a few short years ago, students received $20 million in loans for VET courses; that figure has now reached more than $1 billion.

TAFE colleges across the nation have been pillaged to provide funding to the private VET sector. The emphasis by governments on marketisation has seen a growth in private providers, a massive blow-out in costs to government and students and a concerning decline in standards of qualifications.

In Victoria alone, 10,000 qualifications have recently been recalled after audits of private training providers revealed sub-standard training. Tens of millions of dollars have been recovered from providers who failed to deliver what students paid for. In New South Wales, unscrupulous providers have

been exposed for inducing students with a disability to sign up for multiple Diploma level courses costing tens of thousands of dollars.

These early warning signs must cause concern for all educators. The marketisation of education is not in the best interests of students, the community or our nation as a whole. Only urgent action to reverse the tide on these policies will prevent the full extent of overseas experience being visited upon Australian education.

Queensland stood on the brink of this experience. The incoming Queensland Labor government has announced significant changes to the policy platform of the previous state LNP government, including the abandonment of a fully contestable funding market and a recommitment to the role of TAFE as a provider of high quality VET in Queensland.

Kevin BatesPRESIDENT

The value of education is not revealed by the price


From the President

@qtupresident

How does your class stack up?With the new school year well under way, it is timely to remind members of their rights regarding class sizes. Maximum class size targets were nominated by members as a top bargaining priority in workplace meetings and as one of the most important issues by respondents in the QTU quadrennial member survey conducted in 2014.

This sentiment is shared with our interstate teaching colleagues. The most recent Staff in Australian Schools (SiAS) report, released in October last year, reported that large class sizes and teacher workload are the two main concerns expressed by Australian teachers.

While the QTU recognises that principals, in consultation with staff, have the prerogative to form classes as best suits their students and local circumstances, they should not be forced to form oversized classes because of a lack of resources.

The current class size targets (see below) have been in place since 2007 and, after much negotiating, were retained in the Department of Education, Training and Employment Teachers’ Certified Agreement 2012. They were not moved to “policy”, despite the Newman government’s attempt to do so in the last round of enterprise bargaining.

Some teachers have expressed the concern that the certified agreement only refers to class size “targets”, and that there is nothing they can do if those targets are not met and the number of students in their class exceeds the set target. As the “Fact checker” on the QTU website (www.qtu.asn.au/collections/campaigns/fact-

checker) shows, this is not true. The certified agreement states that if there is a possibility of class sizes exceeding the targets, the class arrangements should be the subject of a timely consultative process with staff, through the local consultative committee (LCC). This is confirmed on the DETE website, which states “that actual makeup of classes is determined at the school level by principals in consultation with staff”. Requirements for timely consultation and the operation of LCCs are set out in Part 3 - Dispute Resolution of the Teachers’ Certified Agreement 2012. Classes in excess of these maximum target sizes should only occur in exceptional circumstances.

Class size is significant for two reasons.

It is a learning issue – research indicates that smaller class sizes impact positively on academic achievement in the early phase of learning, largely as a result of increased student attentiveness and the amount of individual time the teacher is able to spend with each student. For more information on the research into the impact of class sizes, see the "Class sizes: True or false?" document on the QTU website. This can be accessed via the top right “Campaigns” tab, then the far left “Reclaim the profession” tab, then “Your priorities”.

It is an industrial issue – smaller class sizes reduce teachers’ workload outside of the classroom. There are fewer assignments to mark, parents to contact and reports to write.

Obviously, class sizes can only be maintained if sufficient numbers of teachers are employed to cover enrolment growth. This wasn’t happening under the Newman government, and classes expanded further with the loss of the rounding benefit (teacher FTEs were previously rounded up to whole figures).

The QTU welcomes the ALP’s election commitment to employ extra teachers above enrolment growth and looks forward to seeing an additional 2,500 teachers over three years. This will place downward pressure on class sizes.

In the meantime, if your class is over target, don’t just accept it. Reclaim the profession, know your rights and ensure all consultation processes are followed. Your Union is here to support you – contact your school based Union Rep, QTAD or your local Organiser for assistance.

Current class size targets

Prep – year 3 25 students per class

Year 4 –year 10 28 students per class

Years 10 and 11 25 students per class

Kim RoyRESEARCH OFFICER


Class sizes

If you are wondering if you are the only person currently experiencing an unprecedented level of supervision, interference and micro-management of your day-to-day work in the classroom, the answer would appear to be an emphatic “no”. If you’re in this position, should you work with your colleagues to reclaim your professional space? The answer is an emphatic “yes”!

Whether it’s instructions on when and how subjects will be taught in the classroom or expectations that data will be gathered and recorded so frequently that makes it hard to conceive of when the actual teaching and learning that will lead to improved student outcomes might take place, the anecdotes appear to be consistent across the state. No, it’s not just you. It’s not just your school or your region. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.

Technology, education research, curriculum support materials and the ever-growing data sets available to us mean that we’ve never before experienced a time when so many people outside of our classrooms seem to have an idea about what should be going on inside them. It would seem that gone are the days when teachers were presented with professional learning or exposed to new ideas or strategies and then given time to go back to our classrooms and try things out, to see what fits with our own style and what works best in our context with our students. It’s ironic that in this time of unrelenting focus on differentiation, we find ourselves confronted with the expectation that one-size-fits-all prescriptive approaches will be implemented in the classroom and enforced through regular checks.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on a particular area of pedagogical practice or raising student achievement in an aspect of learning or curriculum. In fact, this can work well for students in providing consistency, and can be a powerful way of developing the capacity of the whole staff as they try new things together and share their reflections on what worked and what didn’t.

The problem emerges when instead of creating a culture of trust and professionalism in the school, a culture of mistrust, low morale and in some cases fear emerges. Teachers are highly skilled professionals who deserve to be given professional autonomy to go about their work within the context of the school-wide curriculum plan and strategy. When we demand that schoolwide change is undertaken in a culture of respect and trust based on a premise that everyone wants students to do well, we can do great things and sustain them long-term. When schoolwide change is undertaken in an environment that fails to trust teachers and focuses more on making sure we are complying and conforming rather than building understanding and capacity, it is doomed to fail.

This is not a suggestion that teachers should be simply left alone to “get on with it”, but assuming that they are getting on with it and treating them as trusted professionals by giving them some time and space to try things out, reflect on their effectiveness and plan for what to do next would go a long way to building goodwill and morale.

Sam PidgeonVICE-PRESIDENT

Treat teachers as professionalsWe need to find the balance between accountability and transparency and having trust in teachers’ professional autonomy and capacity.


From the VP

@sampidgeon

Resources top issue for principalsMore than 80 per cent of Australian principals say that a lack of resources is hurting education at their school.

The Australian Council for Educational Research’s Report “Australian Teachers and the Learning Environment: An analysis of teacher response to TALIS 2013” showed principals believe the biggest issue is inadequate school budgets and resources.

The report’s other findings include the following.• Almost 38 per cent of teachers say their

training did not address the content of all the subjects they are now teaching.

• Principals were concerned that a lack of properly qualified teachers was hindering school performance, with 37 per cent saying they had shortages of teachers trained in teaching students with special needs, and 27 per cent shortages of teachers in vocational education.

• The average age of the Australian teacher is 43.4 years, compared to the TALIS average of 42.9 years, while the average age of the Australian principal is 53.2 years, similar to the TALIS average of 51.5 years. However, the teaching workforce in Australia is ageing, with 37.1 per cent of teachers aged 50 or over, ahead of the OECD average of 31.8 per cent.

• 59.2 per cent of Australian teachers are female, compared to the TALIS average of 68.9 per cent, but 38.6 per cent of Australian lower secondary school principals are female, significantly lower than the TALIS average of 49.4 per cent.

• Australia has one of the most highly educated teacher workforces, with virtually all teachers holding an undergraduate or postgraduate diploma or degree or above, compared to the TALIS average of 90.9 per cent.

The report is available from the www.education.gov.au/school-teacher-workforce-data-reports

Election

The involvement of members in QTU and Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) campaigns, and their votes, had a significant effect on the outcomes of the state election.

Teachers were very aware of the threats to existing teaching and learning conditions and the limitations on future enterprise bargaining posed by the LNP government’s changes to industrial legislation. Fundamental conditions like class sizes, maximisation of permanent employment, and consultation were threatened. The government proposed performance-based contracts for principals and deputy principals and performance bonuses, and QTU members had twice voted to take industrial action if the government moved to impose those changes.

As usual, the QTU ran a campaign to inform

all members. Within that campaign the Union prioritised a number of target seats, and last year began a process of QTU volunteers phoning members in those seats about the election. Those volunteers in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg and the Gold Coast completed nearly 8,000 calls, in addition to calls made by the QCU. The success of this direct member-to-member contact means it will be a feature of future campaigns, and not just around elections.

A special edition of the Journal was posted to all members but, with a short election timeframe and school holidays, few policies

were known. As each policy was released by a political party, a summary and analysis was published on the QTU website, while on Facebook, a variety of memes was published highlighting what was at stake (pictured). A final Newsflash was sent in the last week. The QTU also sent emails to members in electorates where teachers were candidates. The last Parliament had no teachers. The new Parliament has three current or former QTU members.

TAFE members were active in the campaign. They participated with QTU Senior Officers in the launch of the ALP policy, which will now start to reverse the demolition of TAFE as a public institution. On 29 January, two days before the election, TAFE teachers stopped work for two hours to draw attention to and protest the damage done to TAFE. It was the first TAFE industrial

Annastacia Palasczcuk and the ALP made a number of election pledges on education and

industrial relations during the state election campaign. Here is a summary of those promises.

Extra teachersLabor committed to hiring up to an extra 2,500 teachers in state schools between 2016 and 2018, including employing an extra 290 teachers above population growth in every year of its first term, at a cost of an additional $139 million. In 2016, it will prioritise the 125 Queensland primary schools with the largest number of children in oversized classes, while in 2017 and 2018 all primary schools will be eligible to benefit. In each year of this program, 90 teacher positions will be reserved for experienced teachers in high schools.

Letting teachers teachLabor committed to investing $6 million over three years to develop new classifications for excellent teachers that reflect the teaching standards recommended by the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). These classifications will be called Highly Accomplished and Lead teachers. Applications will begin in 2019. Teachers will need to pay a fee in order to be assessed. The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission will be asked to conduct a thorough work-value assessment to determine the appropriate remuneration levels for these new classifications.

Labor will work with universities to encourage the use of traineeships which will enable pre-service teachers to spend as much as six months at a time in schools, and will conduct a review of the model used to allocate administrative and support staff to Queensland state schools.

Restoring respect to the teaching professionLabor committed to restoring respect to the teaching profession and ruled out placing principals, deputy principals and teachers on short-term contracts

Supporting studentsLabor committed to investing $9 million over three years to deliver an extra 45 guidance officer positions in state high schools, combined schools, and special schools with secondary-aged students. In 2016, an additional 15 guidance officer positions will be funded to ensure every school with more than 500 high school students has a guidance officer on an equivalent full-time basis. An additional 15 guidance officer positions will be funded in each of 2017 and 2018 and allocated to schools on the basis of need.

What the ALP promised ...

Election proves that anything is possible!


Needs-based language support for Queensland studentsLabor committed to distributing funding for teaching English as an additional language or dialect to schools according to the number of students attending that school who need the additional support.

Rescuing TAFELabor committed to investing $34 million over three years to reinvigorate TAFE Queensland. It will target a more sustainable level of contestability, which will be identified through Jobs Queensland, which will be established as an independent statutory body to improve job matching across the economy and lift productivity by developing workforce planning by industry sector and economic catchment.

Restrictions on eligibility to training subsidies in targeted industries for individuals who have completed prior study will be abolished, and an independent training ombudsman will be established

with the power to investigate complaints made about training organisations or act as a complaints umpire for apprentices and trainees for issues regarding the termination of work contracts.

Up to $3 million over three years will be provided to help TAFEs cover the costs of delivering courses in foundation skills such as literacy and numeracy.

The Queensland Training Assets Management Authority Act 2014 will be repealed and control of Queensland’s training assets returned to the relevant state government department.

Industry, training providers, unions and TAFEs will be invited to contribute to the development of a comprehensive asset management plan to increase the use of publicly owned facilities. The leasing of training assets will be managed by the department, and TAFEs will receive priority access to all facilities at a subsidised rate.

The commitment to allocate 10 per cent of total labour hours on eligible government-funded infrastructure projects to apprentices and trainees will be continued, while a further 10 per cent will be committed to Indigenous apprentices and trainees for projects in Indigenous communities. This commitment will be extended to projects funded by government-owned corporations and public private partnerships.

Restoring fairness for government employeesLabor committed to reinstating conditions for government workers that were lost as a result of changes made by the Newman government since 2012, re-establishing the independence of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) when determining wage cases, and returning the QIRC to its position as a ‘layperson’s court’, where workers and union advocates operate on a level playing field with their employers.

action in nearly 20 years. Outside the Executive Building in Brisbane and in a number of centres around the state, members rallied with ALP and Greens speakers.

In schools, the QTU participated in the launch of the ALP’s “Let teachers teach” policy for a new career structure for teachers, among other promises.

Based on contributions from major unions like the QTU, the QCU targeted about 20 seats, initially with three coordinators covering nine seats in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. The election campaign built on campaigns to raise awareness and preserve penalty rates in both Townsville and Cairns. The QCU organised phone calling of union members by union members in the targeted electorates.

At the end of the campaign, union contributions allowed the QCU to run television ads in the three centres and radio ads in other centres, including Bundaberg. Union volunteers distributed QCU how to vote cards outside a number of pre-poll centres and on polling day. The QCU’s exhortation to “number every square and put the LNP last” has proven to be very significant in the final outcome.

There is so much more that could be told of the involvement of members in the state election and its result. Few would have thought that a change in government was possible. Perhaps we just don’t know what is possible until we try.

Graham MoloneyGENERAL SECRETARY


School leaders

SUCCESS

The QTU has recently developed an “Education Brief” for the new Queensland Government, highlighting key issues in education, training and industrial relations and making recommendations to assist in redressing some of the former government’s attacks on teaching conditions and the profession. This is a summary of those recommendations.

1. Curriculum and assessmentQueensland is the only state in Australia to have adopted and implemented the five Australian Curriculum learning areas of English, maths, science, geography and history. The workload impacts have been severe. The Union has issued a directive to members to indefinitely halt the implementation of all new learning areas of the Australian Curriculum, pending negotiated outcomes around workload, resourcing and support materials e.g. C2C. The government should put the implementation of new learning areas on hold pending the outcome of the review of the Australian Curriculum, which would enable the QTU to remove the directive.

2. Professional representationQueensland’s teachers and principals are the major stakeholders in the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA, formerly the Queensland Studies Authority or QSA) and the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) and must have strong representation in the governance of these bodies. Both Queensland education unions – the Queensland Teachers’ Union and the Independent Education Union Queensland and Northern Territory Branch (IEU-QNT) – were represented on the QSA governing body until 1 July, 2014, when the LNP government removed those positions (with no consultation). Both Unions reject any change to the governance structures of the QCT that results in the board not having a majority of practising teachers, and

excludes key representative organisations such as unions. As teachers’ and principals’ registration fees are the primary funding source for the QCT, they have a reasonable expectation of democratic representation. The government should restore individual education union representation to the QCAA and abandon any proposed changes to the QCT that would diminish the representation of practising teachers.

3. Professional payThe QTU supports requirements for teachers to demonstrate that their professional practice reaches the DETE/QTU “Professional standards for teachers”, based on the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) recommendations for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers. This policy is an addition to, not a substitute for, on-going fair increases in salaries through enterprise bargaining. The QTU strongly supports the ALP commitment to establish new classifications over and above the current classroom teacher pay scale and to negotiate the manner in which teachers will demonstrate that they have met the required standards. This will be far more beneficial than “performance bonuses”.

4. Staffing allocation and class sizesThe 2012-13 State Budget saw the loss of the rounding benefit for primary schools, the abolition of the year 2 net teacher allocation and the removal of the resource teacher allocation from secondary schools, which, combined with a shortfall

of funding for adequate staffing to cover enrolment growth while maintaining class sizes, equalled a total shortfall of 519 FTEs. Class sizes have increased in 76 per cent of Queensland state schools, and in 2014, more than 58,200 students were trying to learn in oversized classes. The government should act to protect current maximum class size targets in industrial instruments. This includes introducing the additional teacher numbers as per the ALP election commitment, immediately reinstating the teaching positions lost in the 2012-13 State Budget, and returning the rounding benefit in primary schools. The staffing allocation for students with disabilities should be reviewed to ensure that staffing is aligned to needs of students not population growth.

5. Workload managementRapidly escalating workload rated as the equal number one issue in the 2014 QTU quadrennial member survey, with 97 per cent saying it was important. As a first step, the QTU believes that the Minister should immediately act to halt implementation of new curriculum areas of the Australian Curriculum and review data collection and reporting requirements to ensure data is informing education practice, not driving it.

6. Job securityJob security was nominated as one of the most important issues by respondents to the 2014 QTU member survey. The imposition of “performance-based, fixed-term contracts” on principals and deputy principals was

Education Brief: a roadmap to


SUCCESS

announced – with no consultation with the QTU – by the Queensland Government in 2013. Another major issue facing QTU members is temporary versus permanent appointments. While the state school system will need a small proportion of temporary appointments to cover temporary absences such as parental or long service leave, those arrangements should be kept to a minimum. The government should abandon any plans to impose performance-based, fixed-term contracts on school leaders and honour the existing MoA on maximising permanency.

7. Teacher professionalismThe LNP’s “Great Teachers= Great Results” plan misguidedly focused on teacher quality rather than teaching quality, particularly ranking and rating of teachers and school leaders; the introduction of performance bonuses; and contracts for school leaders, all of which were rejected by QTU members. The QTU has been involved in extensive negotiations with DETE to introduce programs that support professional development of teachers and school leaders rather than undermining the profession, and the QTU believes that the renegotiated performance review process for teachers and school leaders should continue. The government should immediately abandon contracts for school leaders, reintroduce QTU representation on recruitment and selection panels, and abandon performance bonuses, with funds redirected to supporting the implementation of the new performance review processes and associated professional learning.

8. Independent Public SchoolsWhen the Independent Public Schools (IPS) program began in 2013, the QTU advised members that the government must guarantee that a number of non-negotiable elements would be protected in an enforceable industrial instrument if the scheme was not to undermine workers’ rights and weaken Queensland’s state schooling system. In response to IPS, the QTU believes that the government should maintain the school-based management guarantees that existed before IPS, halt further rounds of schools becoming

part of the IPS program and review any demonstrable benefits in being part of the IPS program and extend these features to all schools.

9. Industrial relations and enterprise bargainingThe LNP government made seven amendments to the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (Qld), significantly changing the enterprise bargaining (EB) landscape. The QTU’s principal concerns regard the removal of previously bargained and agreed conditions through the process of award “modernisation”, unwarranted constraints on collective bargaining, and threats to the independence of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC). The government should act immediately to delay the award modernisation process while reviewing the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (Qld). Additionally, those certified agreements due for renegotiation should be carried over through administrative arrangements until the review is completed. This will enable fair improvements in salaries while conditions are protected, until genuine bargaining can commence under the new industrial framework.

10. Federal schools fundingWhile failing to sign up to the Gonski model, the previous Queensland Government continued to receive funds from the federal government, which were allocated to schools as part of the “Great Results Guarantee”. The Queensland Government should continue to provide federal schools funding directly to schools to support intervention programs directed to the learning needs of students. It should also implement a review of the methodology of funding allocation, aiming for a transparent, needs-based model based on the principles of the Gonski review and providing increased long-term certainty for schools.

11. School viability and school choiceIt is sound for the Queensland Government to actively manage its education assets; however, that management must be set against that same government’s obligation to provide free, secular, inclusive

government schooling to local communities. In order to restore transparency, the government should review the school viability assessment process and associated requirements for public consultation to ensure any decisions made about school closures are for the public good, and cease sales of former or future school sites until the review of the Queensland Schools Planning Commission is complete.

12. State government employee housingIn 2012 and 2013, rumours circulated that the LNP government planned to transfer the majority of employee accommodation from the Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) to the Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW). The plan was confirmed in media reports in June 2013, with an implementation date of 2014. At no time was the QTU officially informed of the decision, and no consultation took place. The QTU is not opposed to the new model, subject to conditions, including appropriate maintenance funding and no increase in rentals.

13. TAFE and VET in schoolsUnder the previous government, TAFE was severely undermined as the quality public provider of vocational education and training. Misguided policies, already shown to have failed in other states, have put TAFE education physically and financially out of reach for many students. To redress the attacks on TAFE, the newly elected government should act to abolish QTAMA and return TAFE assets and facilities to TAFE to manage, utilise or, if appropriate, dispose of; inject at least $34m over three years into TAFE; review the role of TAFE Queensland as a statutory authority, including revision of its base legislation (the TAFE Queensland Act) to ensure that its aims and operation reflect a commitment to the provision of quality VET, not merely to commercial competitiveness; reform the TAFE Queensland Board and include a QTU representative on it; and re-establish and fund TAFE’s role in supporting delivery of vocational programs to secondary school students.


Election

I am writing this because I strongly believe that everyone, whether disadvantaged, disabled, mature aged or an immigrant, is entitled to public education.

I myself am a former student of Bremer TAFE, a second chance learner. Over 30 years ago, I finished high school after only going to year 10 level. I was told to be like everyone else’s wife and “get a real job”, in the meat works or picking lettuce.

Then, in 2008, I enrolled in a Diploma of Justice Administration at Bremer TAFE. Thanks to the support and encouragement of the teachers at Bremer, I continued with my studies, and in 2013 I graduated from QUT with a distinction with a Bachelor of Justice.

I now have a great job that has allowed me to own my own property, thanks to TAFE.

I have seen the campaigns and media showing the cuts to TAFE, including staff redundancies, loss of programs, costs to students, closure of facilities and the removal of assets from TAFE Queensland control and into the hands of QTAMA, forcing TAFE to withdraw services from communities and subsequently pay exorbitant rental to retain access.

Until recently I didn’t fully understand what the costs to students would mean to someone like myself wanting to get back into the workforce, or a school leaver not wanting to go to university.

When I graduated from Bremer TAFE, I had completed the 21 units at a cost of about $1,200 after the Commonwealth subsidy. The TAFE website advertises the 2015 Diploma of Justice as “full fee”, costing $10,000.

The former Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek claimed that students can access VET FEE-HELP to assist with the cost. But when I read further down the web page, it specified that the Certificate IV component is not eligible for VET FEE-HELP and required an upfront fee of $2,500 (the 2015 Justice Diploma only consists of 16 units, of which 10 units are Cert IV).

I ask you, how can TAFE survive if it cannot get enough enrolments to sustain programs because private providers such as CLET are advertising the same course for $3,995?

I’m not into politics, but the new Labor government's policies towards TAFE do give me hope. While they don’t reverse all the cuts, it is the first positive policy position on TAFE for a number of years.

I want TAFE to survive! I want TAFE to give other people the opportunity that it gave me! With a supportive government, TAFE can and will make great things happen!

Tracy-Lee RogersADMINISTRATION OFFICER - RESEARCH/SERVICES

TAFE did, and could still, make great things happen

QTU employee Tracy-Lee Rogers (pictured) knows from personal experience the huge impact TAFE can have on people's lives. Here she tells her story.


On 29 January 2015, an almost unprecedented event took place. TAFE teachers across Queensland walked off the job in protest at the Newman-LNP government’s contempt for TAFE and two and a half years of attacks on quality and professionalism.

It was the first time in nearly 20 years that TAFE teachers and tutors had taken this step. In the face of political intimidation, educational staff stood up for the system they are proud to work for.

In the north, 100 staff and supporters in Cairns and Townsville made the point that to save TAFE for the community, voters needed to put the LNP last.

In the south east, rallies at the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Logan and the Gold Coast demanded that the state government Stop TAFE Cuts. Greens and Labor candidates across the state joined the QTU call for a more equitable and socially responsible vocational education approach. Maryborough and Bundaberg members protested in solidarity with their statewide colleagues. On the steps of the Executive Building, George Street, Brisbane,150 TAFE members called for an end to the damage

being done to an important public institution.

Dr. Anthony Lynham, then ALP education spokesperson, and Greens Senator Larissa Waters addressed the Brisbane rally, as well as QTU President Kevin Bates, QTU Executive member and TAFE teacher Scott Tibaldi and Queensland Council of Unions President John Battams.

The stop-work was the culminating event of a TAFE campaign which successfully helped to elevate TAFE as an election issue, with the then leader of the opposition Annastacia Palaszczuk launching the ALP TAFE policy at a Stop TAFE Cuts rally at Grovely. Yvette D’Ath, now Minister for Training and Skills, spoke of her strong support for TAFE at a range of events during the campaign.

David TeraudsTAFE ORGANISER

Members take action to Stop TAFE Cuts


Master teachers – educators with a specific focus on improving literacy and numeracy and on building capacity through action research – have begun work in Queensland schools.

Key to the success of this new position is ensuring that master teachers are able to undertake their roles as per the role description and working conditions. The working conditions of master teachers are set out in a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the QTU and the department negotiated in late 2014.

The hours of duty are the same as those of a classroom teacher, that is, 25 hours per week, however a master teacher is not to be utilised as a classroom teacher. Master teachers are appointed for a three-year term in a particular school or cluster of schools, they are not to be allocated bus and playground duty or allocated internal relief except in emergent circumstances, and further to this, do not have a supervisory role with respect to annual teacher performance reviews of teaching colleagues or involvement in any managing unsatisfactory performance (MUP) processes. These tasks should be undertaken by the principal or deputy principal and cannot be subsequently delegated to a

master teacher. Arrangements for master teachers working in clusters across a number of schools are outlined in the MOA (http://qtu.asn.au/collections/awards-and-agreements/moa/master-teacher-moa).

Master teachers should provide coaching and guidance to teachers in a collaborative and supportive way, and need to consider how the approaches they adopt and promote within the school may impact on the workload of classroom teachers. If they are undertaking classroom observations, they must comply with the QTU/DETE Collegial Engagement Joint Statement, which states that lesson observations must be subject to consultation with teaching staff and negotiation between the teacher and observer about the timing, frequency and purpose of the observation and the nature of the feedback to be provided.

The action research model underpinning the role involves teachers in identifying areas for improvement in professional practice in their own classrooms, implementing evidence-based strategies and reflecting

on the efficacy of these strategies. It is envisaged that the action research model should support what teachers are doing, not create additional workload.

While a formal action research course run by the University of Southern Queensland is available to master teachers, there is no obligation to participate in the program. If participating in the formal course, there is an expectation that research findings will be published. Master teachers who do not want to seek credit for their research towards a graduate certificate are not required to write up their findings formally or have them refereed or marked as academic papers, though they may wish to consider ways of sharing their work with other master teachers.

Master teachers should work with principals to ensure that their duties are consistent with those in the role description.

Leah Mertens RESEARCH OFFICER - PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Sam PidgeonVICE-PRESIDENT

The role of the master teacher


Professional issues

The QTU has been successful in securing pro-rata summer vacation payments which had been denied to temporary teacher members just days before Christmas.

The Department of Education, Training and Employment State School Teachers’ Certified Agreement 2012 contains a provision that entitles temporary teachers to proportionate paid vacation leave if they meet certain criteria. In this particular case, there was an issue around the provision for proportionate payment for the summer vacation after 100 days of employment as a temporary teacher in semester two 2014.

The problem arose because public holidays had not been counted as a working day for the purpose of calculating the 100 days qualifying period, even though authorised paid leave and student free days were counted. QTU Deputy General Secretary Kate Ruttiman, who was involved in the negotiation of this provision in the 2010 certified agreement, recalled that the clear intent in the negotiations was to pay this pro-rata payment to anyone who completed the whole second semester as a temporary teacher.

The QTU members who did not receive the pro-rata payment all had contracts for terms three and four. When they followed up about the non-payment of the 10 days pro-rata summer vacation payment with the relevant payroll office, they were informed that they had only completed 99 days because the public holiday in term four did not count towards the 100 days. They were

told that for a day to be counted towards the 100 days, they must be “working in a school”.

Nearly every one of the members who was spoken to had been informed when they began the contract that they would be paid the 10 days pro-rata payment. Obviously these temporary teachers were very upset as they only found out they would not receive the payment when it did not appear in their bank accounts, which was two days before Christmas.

The QTU believes that this rectification of non-payment will affect approximately 130 temporary teachers.

This has occurred this year and not in previous years because both terms three and four were 10-week terms. For instance, in 2013, term three was 11 weeks and term four was 10 weeks, therefore there was no issue with reaching the 100 days and it was not obvious that payroll was not counting the public holiday towards the 100 days.

As this issue is due to arise again in semester two, the QTU is intending to address it through enterprise bargaining negotiations later this year.

Paige BousenASSISTANT SECRETARY - EDUCATION LEADERS

QTU wins for temporary teachers denied vacation pay days before Christmas


Temporary teachers

Guidance officers are vital members of many school leadership teams, and the ALP’s promise of 45 additional secondary GOs will mean that even more students can benefit from their expertise.

Guidance officers form an integral role in supporting the department’s vision for a creative and clever Queensland through a quality education system.

They work closely with students and their families, administration, teachers, non-teaching professionals and, in some instances, departmental agencies and authorities. They do this in order to provide a wide range of support to students. A guidance officer’s responsibilities include:• working directly with students and

teachers, administration, support personnel, family and other specialists/professionals

• providing guidance, counselling and assessment services to students and their families

• providing case management and referral services to optimise students’ access and engagement in education

• preparing and implementing professional and personal skill development programs for administrators, teachers and parents

• working collaboratively with other school-based support personnel to assess and address the needs of students

• planning or assisting in planning support programs that can help students achieve positive outcomes

• identifying factors that can be barriers to the learning and development of students

• supporting the personal and social development of students

• providing advice about education and

career pathways • supporting the social and emotional

development of groups and individuals in the school community, extending into health and welfare issues.

It is essential that guidance officers possess specific attributes and qualifications to successfully meet their responsibilities. These include:• qualifications, including a requirement

to be registered as a teacher, to have two years experience working with children, and to have either full registration as a psychologist or have completed a Master of Education majoring in guidance and counselling

• strong and effective communication skills • ability to work both as part of a team

and independently, in a diverse range of environments.

Most principals would welcome additional guidance time in their schools, particularly to assist with the ever-increasing raft of complex social and behavioural issues which are becoming more prevalent and occupying disproportionate amounts of their time.

A principal recently expressed his concern to me at the quantum of time that they spent, on a daily basis, dealing with issues that related to social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing issues. The comment was not that principals saw these as something outside their role or skill set, but more in relation to the ever increasing impost on

their time, at the possible expense of other responsibilities.

Many administrators have expressed their reliance upon, and confidence in, their guidance officers, particularly in supplying advice around networking support, counselling and assessments.

The unique skill set of guidance officers would place them, should their allocation to schools be increased, in a position to work with school administration to alleviate some of these time imposts.

They can also provide proactive engagement with staff and school communities around improving student learning, social, mental health and developmental issues.

In addition, they can provide professional development in mental health and wellbeing, building resilience, suicide prevention and intervention, and grief and loss.

Guidance officers provide a unique and invaluable service in schools, and an increase in numbers, and therefore service, could only add value to a school's resources and outcomes.

Perry AndersonGUIDANCE OFFICER AND QTU EXECUTIVE MEMBER

Schools need the unique contribution of guidance officers


Guidance officers

As the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) works on developing a response to the recent senior assessment review, it is ramping up consultation with the key stakeholders – teachers.

While the newly elected Labor government will need time to analyse and fully develop a comprehensive response to the recommendations from the ACER report “Redesigning the Secondary-Tertiary Interface: Queensland review of senior assessment and tertiary entrance” (Oct 2014), the QCAA is pushing ahead with vital consultation with teachers - the people who will have to enact any future changes to the senior assessment system.

The QCAA has set up a taskforce to oversee the response to the review recommendations, which has established 22 senior curriculum and assessment working groups in the following areas:• English• specialist maths• foundation maths• biology• chemistry• physics• sciences • history• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

studies• geography

• business• economics and legal studies• performing arts• visual arts• music• health and physical education• scripted languages• non-scripted languages• information technology• industrial technology• home economics • humanities.

The QTU and the IEUA-QNT have a joint union representative on each working group. The working groups also have representatives from the tertiary sector, state schooling, Catholic schooling, independent schooling and the relevant subject association.

The first meeting of the working groups was held on 16 February, providing an opportunity for all participants to meet each other and to focus on four key recommendations from the review (4, 6, 7 & 8). There are a further three meetings planned for the working groups in March, April and May, with the QCAA meeting

participants’ travel expenses and providing the schools with TRS.

The QCAA intends to conduct a short survey of teachers in each subject area in the coming weeks, via SurveyMonkey. The results of the subject specific surveys will greatly assist and inform the taskforce. The survey will ask whether there is a role for external assessment in a particular subject, and if so, what that might look like, e.g. exam, extended response, research assignment, project, performance, practical etc, and what percentage it should contribute to a student’s overall result.

The QCAA points out that the ACER reviewers recommend the introduction of external assessments, set and marked by QCAA, but not in the form of high-stakes external examinations, such as the HSC exams in NSW.

For more info about the review, visit the ACER website at www.acer.edu.au/queensland-review

For the QTU position, visit the QTU website at www.qtu.asn.au/files//8714/2104/1968/AQJD.pdf

Leah MertensRESEARCH OFFICER - PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Teachers consulted on response to senior assessment review


News

The QTU delegation to the 2015 AEU Federal Conference

News


The major themes considered at this year’s annual conference of the Australian Education Union remind us once again that the issues we are fighting for federally have a direct impact on our work locally.

Federal Conference 2015 endorsed a statement which recognises “the challenges facing high quality public education across the early childhood, schools and TAFE sectors”.

One of the dominant issues discussed at the conference was the ongoing fight for needs-based Gonski funding, which is essential if we are to achieve the objective of closing resource and achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged schools. Delegates heard about the planning currently being put in place to campaign for Gonski in the lead up to the next federal election.

Conference also condemned the Abbott government’s failure to keep its election promise of greater funding and support for students with disability through a needs-based disability loading, which was to begin this year, and called upon state, territory and federal governments to resolve outstanding data collection issues as a matter of urgency, with a high priority for ensuring

that increased funding for students with disability is in place for 2016.

Delegates noted with concern that the 2015 Close the Gap report and work by the Productivity Commission highlight the lack of progress in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literacy and numeracy. This adds urgency to the need for full implementation of Gonski loadings for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and schools.

The AEU reiterated its view that the Abbott government’s review of the Australian Curriculum was planned to distract from its abandonment of needs-based funding and its refusal to properly fund schools and provide the level of resources and support necessary for all students to reach their potential. Queensland delegates reported on our current ban on implementation of the Australian Curriculum and heard from colleagues about the progress of implementation in other states.

A number of sessions at conference recognised the major challenges facing the TAFE sector, including the rapid growth of the private sector within VET, with more than 4,600 registered training organisations, the vast majority of which are operating on a for-profit basis. Conference reaffirmed a commitment to the Stop TAFE Cuts campaign to fight for the ongoing sustainability of TAFE as it continues its vital role in training more than one million Australians each year.

Conference discussed the recent release of the federal government’s inquiry into initial teacher education and reaffirmed a commitment to advocating for greater support for early career teachers and far greater resourcing for the teacher practicum/professional learning components of teacher education.

The conference was an excellent opportunity to build our knowledge and understanding of the federal environment and to network with our union colleagues from other states as we unite to continue the fight for public education.

AEU Federal Conference 2015

The Department of Education and Training (DET) has released the 2015 teacher transfer timelines, with transfer applications having to be lodged in term two.

Union adviceThe QTU provides the following advice to teachers who are contemplating submitting a transfer in 2015.• If you are certain you want a transfer,

submit the application as soon as possible after the date online transfer applications open. Submitting the application early in the process will allow the receiving regions more time to identify and create vacancies for teachers returning from the completion of rural or remote service.

• If you are interested in transferring to an IPS, in 2015, as in 2014, you will have the opportunity to indicate this preference on the online application. At the time of writing the QTU is unaware of any changes to the transfer of teachers into IPS.

• If you are unsure whether you should

submit a transfer request, it may be better to submit and withdraw the application at a later date, as it appears transfers lodged after the application closing date, and in particular during term four, are not usually granted, regardless of the points and service accrued.

• If you are currently located in a preferred area, you may be eligible for transfer to a rural and/or remote centre. The Union advises that you inform the department of your circumstances and/or geographic preferences.

• Teacher transfer profile – this tool is used by some schools to assist the department in determining a teacher’s eligibility for transfer. The completion of the profile tool is not mandatory but the QTU advises members to ensure that the department is aware of all the

relevant circumstances that may prevent a transfer to a particular location.

• Teachers who are submitting compassionate transfer requests should ensure that they have the necessary documentary evidence, e.g. for compassionate transfer requests based on medical grounds you will generally require specialist medical evidence.

• Expressions of interest (EOI) – each year the QTU is contacted by members who are advised by DET or their principal to complete an online EOI application because they may be considered for an intra-regional transfer. It is not compulsory for a teacher to complete an EOI as part of the transfer process, but if a teacher believes they may receive an intra-regional transfer the QTU’s advice is to ensure that the department is fully informed of both their circumstances and geographic preferences.

Union assistanceIf you require assistance with the completion of your application or you believe your transfer application may require QTU advocacy at regional office, please contact your Organiser to discuss. General transfer enquiries can be made through the Queensland Teachers Assist Desk on 1300 11 7823.

Jeff BackenASSISTANT SECRETARY - SERVICES/WELFARE

The teacher transfer process 2015

Teacher transfer timelines – 2015

Dates Tasks

Prior to 24 April 2015 Notification of intentions for 2016 sent to teachers on leave due to return in 2016.

Advice to teachers on leave wishing to return/transfer regarding MyHR Recruitment

4 May 2015 Open MyHR Recruitment Teacher Transfer Applications for 2016

19 June 2015 Closing date for teacher transfer applications.

Completed by 17 July 2015 Resubmitted applications to be endorsed and authorised.

Regional deadline for teacher transfer application quality check, points calculation and points entry.

17 September 2015 Release of Teacher Transfers – successful and unsuccessful notifications sent electronically to applicants.

News



From conversation

comes knowledge.They can be powerful things, conversations. And they can change your life for the better.

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• Create a simple super action plan that you can put in place now.

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qsuper.qld.gov.au/ knowledge

8373 QSuper Brand Campaign QTU Full Page.indd 1 18/02/2015 4:30:51 PM

Teaching in Queensland has not always been the same as we experience now at the beginning of the 21st Century.

Our brothers and sisters who came before the current intake of new and beginning teachers have stood in solidarity and fought long and hard to win conditions that many people entering the profession take for granted. Maximisation of permanent employment, the Remote Area Incentive Scheme, paid parental leave and many, many other conditions have been won by Union members standing up for the profession.

As a new and beginning teacher, taking the time to fill out the form to become a member of the Union is often on the to-do list, but the increasing demands sometimes means that this task gets shifted towards the bottom of the overwhelming list.

But the strength of any union body is in its density and the ability for people to stand together to discuss, debate and take action on industrial and professional issues which results in the best possible outcome for the students in our classroom.

Last year, as the QTU celebrated its 125th anniversary, it was so powerful to reflect on the experiences of those who have fought the good fight before us and listen to the stories of those who have ensured that we, as new and beginning teachers, have entered the profession with the conditions we currently experience. As recently as the last enterprise bargaining negotiations, QTU members stood up to say no to a pay scale that would have seen teachers entering the profession on a single pay scale for the first three years of their career.

Only yesterday, on a flight to Melbourne, I was brought to tears as I watched the film “Pride”, telling the story of a group of

individuals who came together to support the National Union of Mineworkers in the United Kingdom in 1984. It allowed me the chance to reflect on how lucky I am to have entered the profession on the back of selfless colleagues who stood together, enabling me to work under the conditions I do today. Each of these individuals has left a legacy for education in Queensland, and we should thank them for their passion.

A wise colleague once told me that the conversations I have with experienced teachers and Union activists should be treasured. Those fortunate enough to read this Journal have made a commitment to ensuring the best for Queensland students, because the Queensland Teachers’ Union isn’t our fantastic Senior Officers working out of the Brisbane office. It isn’t our brilliant Officers and Organisers who work tirelessly to coordinate what would often seem to be an overwhelming series of tasks. The Union is the teachers, HODs, HOCs, HOSES, deputy principals and principals in schools.

So, that form that is often put to the bottom of new and beginning teachers should become a priority. Having conversations with colleagues about the wins we have had as a movement should become a priority. Ensuring that we continue to work together to improve education in Queensland should become a priority. Let us ensure that the legacy we leave for education is one that future generations can look back on and celebrate at the 200th anniversary of this organisation.

Brent BrownQTU MEMBER

What's your legacy for education in Queensland?

Grading smarter, not harder Myron Dueck ASCD, 2014

In this lively and eye-opening book, educator

Myron Dueck reveals how many of the assessment policies that teachers adopt can actually prove detrimental to student motivation and achievement. Dueck shows how we can tailor policies to address what really matters: student understanding of content.

Teaching early years mathematics, science and ICT Geoff Hilton Allen & Unwin, 2014

This book is a practical guide to teaching the core concepts in mathematics and science to children aged 5 to 8 years, and to integrating information and communication technology into the learning experience.

Listening to children; being and becoming Bronwyn Davies Routledge, 2014

This book takes us into Reggio-Emilia-inspired

Swedish preschools, into the author’s own community in Australia and offers the reader insights into:• new ways of thinking about children

and their communities• the act of listening as emergent and

alive• ourselves as mobile and multiple

subjects• the importance of remaining open to

the not-yet-known.

In addition to books, the QTU Library indexes journal articles, websites and other resources. Check www.qtu.asn.au/library for updates on library resources or send a library request form.

New in the QTU Library


Beginning teachers

From conversation

comes knowledge.They can be powerful things, conversations. And they can change your life for the better.

We’re here to help you set yourself up for the lifestyle you want in the future.

• Talk to us about our range of information and tools.

• Create a simple super action plan that you can put in place now.

Spend a few minutes with us and see how much you could get out. Start the conversation today.

Just quickly, we need to let you know that this product is issued by the QSuper Board (ABN 32 125 059 006) as trustee for the QSuper Fund (ABN 60 905 115 063) so please consider how appropriate this product is for your personal needs. You can do this by downloading a copy of the product disclosure statement at qsuper.qld.gov.au or calling us on 1300 360 750 and asking for a copy. © QSuper Board of Trustees 2015. 8373 03/15.

qsuper.qld.gov.au/ knowledge

8373 QSuper Brand Campaign QTU Full Page.indd 1 18/02/2015 4:30:51 PM

One of the Queensland Teachers’ Union’s main objectives is the protection of the legal rights of its members. This is achieved through our legal assistance scheme, one of the most important services offered by the Union.

You face many potential legal pitfalls during your working day. There is the risk of action arising out of accidents to students, accusations from members of the public which are damaging and can cause great anguish, insults in front of your students or in the presence of your peers, or even physical assault by your students or members of the community.

Any legal action, whether it be prosecution or defence, is expensive. Without legal aid, you could face a severe financial setback from which you might never fully recover.

What legal assistance is available to QTU members?The Union offers three forms of legal assistance.

1. Free legal assistanceFree legal assistance may be granted for both civil and criminal matters arising directly from your employment. Examples include: assault charges, physical abuse allegations, departmental investigations, parent/student complaints, student accidents, abuse/threats against members,

disciplinary action, workers’ compensation and personal injuries claims against the department.

Free legal assistance will not be granted by the Union where a member is in dispute with another member.

2. Subsidised legal assistanceThis form of assistance may be granted in relation to matters not arising directly from your employment but which could have a bearing on it.

Subsidised legal assistance is available at 90 per cent of the usual fee, with the Union contributing 30 per cent of cost and outlays and you paying the remainder. In special circumstances, Executive may approve further assistance.

3. Extended legal assistanceExtended legal assistance is provided for matters which do not fall within the two categories above, but will not generally be provided where one member is in dispute with another.

The terms of the Union’s extended legal service are as follows.

• You will be provided with one free consultation, of up to one half-hour, with the Union’s lawyers in Brisbane or their agents in the country.

• Should you decide to proceed further after the initial consultation, the Union’s lawyers will bill you for any work arising from the consultation at the rate of 75 per cent of their normal fee in personal matters and 90 per cent in commercial matters.

• There is no limit on the number of referrals you can make to the Union’s lawyers in any year, provided that each referral is for a different matter.

• You should note that many matters will take longer than half an hour to be effectively addressed by our lawyers.

Union assistanceIf you require legal assistance or Union advice in relation to a legal matter, please contact the Union.

Legal assistance

it’s your protection


Legal

Across Australia, enormous investments are being made in child protection issues. These will impact significantly on everybody working in occupations involving care of children.

The expectations of school teachers, both in respect of their own personal conduct towards children and their response to knowledge or suspicion of inappropriate conduct by others, are rising all the time. The purpose of this article is to identify, necessarily briefly, issues of which teachers need to be aware and in respect of which they need to ensure that they are familiar with the precise obligations imposed on them.

The federal government is committed to approximately $500 million of expenditure in respect of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse. When one takes account of the investment being made by others in relation to this Royal Commission, it is probably a billion dollar enterprise.

New offencesTeachers need to be aware of the ever-growing list of offences created in relation to their dealings with students or other children. These involve inappropriate touching of students, inappropriate exposure of children to indecent material (whether in hard copy or in the virtual world), supplying children with alcohol, accessing child exploitation material on the internet and, in at least one state, leaving children unreasonably unsupervised.

GroomingMany jurisdictions have recently or will soon introduce a criminal offence involving the concept of “grooming”. This is an entirely legitimate concept, though it needs to be applied with care as, unfortunately, many of the activities in which groomers engage are engaged in sometimes by teachers whose motives are entirely proper but who, in the current circumstances, are naïve about the

inferences that may be drawn. The essence of the criminal offence of grooming is to do with the intention, eg. an intention to facilitate a child engaging in a sexual act. Grooming offences normally carry heavy prison sentences and will almost certainly be career ending. Grooming is an extremely serious offence. The need for teachers to have a clear understanding about which interactions with students are considered appropriate is of increasing importance. Each school community should work collectively to ensure that teachers are aware of this issue and that teachers and students are protected by clear protocols as to what that school community considers is or is not appropriate conduct in interacting with students, especially away from school.

Notification duties All inquiries show how vital it is that, in appropriate circumstances, teachers report to appropriate authorities, whether in the school or elsewhere, their knowledge

or suspicion of actual or possible, or sometimes even likely, abuse of students. These obligations can arise from employer instructions, from the general duty of care or from legislation, whether child protection legislation or teacher registration legislation. The definitions of what constitutes abuse vary (which creates difficulties for teachers but is appropriate given the different contexts in which the issue arises). Similarly the obligations as to who one must report and what one must report vary. Teachers need to ensure that they make the appropriate enquiries as to the obligations imposed on them personally. School leaders need to ensure that they make it clear that they welcome such enquiries, as it will increasingly be their responsibility to ensure compliance with these obligations and to assist their teachers in doing so.

Finally, what really matters is the “culture”, as noted by the interim report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse. It is important not to approach child protection issues as “a bunch of rules”, but to be aware of the underlying rationale, namely that responsibility should be taken to ensure not only compliance with the strict technical legal obligations, but also to ensure that appropriate steps are taken if there is any reason to suspect that a student may be at risk.

Andrew KnottTRESSCOX LAWYERS

Child protection: absolutely front and centre in 2015


Legal

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Queensland Teachers' Assist Desk 1300 11 7823 | [email protected]

There is no agreed maximum amount of time for playground duty (PGD) set out in the Teachers’ Award – State 2012 or Department of Education and Training Teachers’ Certified Agreement 2012. However, given award and certified agreement prescriptions in relation to meal breaks, this does not mean that teachers can be unreasonably deployed to undertake this duty.

A teacher’s daily entitlement to meal breaks includes a 10-minute rest pause and an uninterrupted meal break of 45 minutes per day. This meal break can be reduced to 30 minutes subject to LCC discussions, but at the end of each week a full-time teacher should receive 225 minutes of meal breaks and 50 minutes of rest pause.

Below is an example of a school that has used the facilitative provisions of the certified agreement (through the LCC process) to have its teachers’ 45 minute uninterrupted meal break reduced to no less than a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break each day.

For the purpose of this example, the school’s current break times are 11.00am – 11.30am and 1.00pm – 1.40pm, which equates to 70 minutes per day. In this example, the maximum playground duty a teacher can be asked to undertake is 75 minutes per week. Teachers at this school must receive a minimum of a 10-minute rest pause and 30 minutes uninterrupted break daily. The rest pause should be in a separate break from that designated as the meal break.

The certified agreement, section 11.2 Bus and Playground Supervision, outlines the agreement between the department and QTU to minimise supervision of students by teachers in the playground.

"11.2 Bus and Playground Supervision

11.2.1 The parties agree that teachers will be relieved of bus supervision duties and supervision of students in the playground as far as possible and where appropriate.

11.2.2 Teachers are still required to undertake some part of those duties. The appropriate mix of teachers and teacher-aides will be determined by the principal of the school, having regard to local circumstances and in accordance with consultative arrangements in this agreement.

11.2.3 In any case, teachers shall not be required to undertake bus supervision duties for more than 30 minutes after the completion of the daily program of instruction.”

I am a specialist teacher – do I have to do playground duty?A specialist teacher in a primary and/or special school setting is defined as a PE, LOTE or music teacher. Playground duty and bus duty is not to be allocated where the specialist teacher services more than two schools. This is clearly outlined in section 6.5.5 of the Teachers’ Award – State 2012. For further information, please read the QTU information brochure “Meal breaks and bus and playground supervision”, which can be found on at www.qtu.asn.au


How much time can I be asked to devote to playground duties each week?

School total break times 5 days x 70 mins = 350 minutes per week

Teachers award entitlements for meal breaks

5 days x 45 mins = 225 minutes per week

Teachers award entitlements for rest pause

5 days x 10 mins = 50 minutes per week

Time remaining for PGD 75 minutes per week

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Fleet Network Pty Ltd. To qualify for this offer you must mention this advertisement to Fleet Network prior to the completion of your initial contract. Vehicle must be new and supplied by Fleet Network. Not valid in conjunction with any other current Fleet Network offers. Employees should consult

their employer’s salary packaging policy before entering into a contract. *Subject to Employer policy. Vehicle for illustration purposes only.

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Get to know your QTU Officers

Jeff has been in his current QTU officer position since January 2013, when he filled the vacancy left by long-serving QTU officer Jim Sykes.

Jeff’s role focuses primarily on the following issues: teacher accommodation, teacher transfers, RAIS, managing unsatisfactory

performance (MUP), workplace health and safety, and general legal and member welfare issues.

Over the past two years, the QTU has played a very useful role in running MUP information sessions for education leaders. Jeff facilitates these sessions and DETE officers have also been involved in many of the presentations. Jeff reports that members appreciate the opportunity to see both their employer and Union in agreement on how to approach the challenging issue of unsatisfactory performance. Members who would like to see such a session in their local area should contact Jeff in the Brisbane office.

Jeff has worked for the Union in a number of different positions since 1990. He has been an Organiser, acting Industrial Advocate/

Services officer, the QTU’s Legal Officer and was also the officer responsible for education leaders.

Jeff has a special interest in superannuation, having had this officer responsibility in the past and having been a deputy trustee to former QTU President Steve Ryan when Steve was a QSuper trustee. Since December 2013, Jeff has been the QTU-nominated trustee on the QSuper Board, and he is working with other QSuper trustees and senior executives to improve the fund for members.

Jeff can be contacted at the Brisbane QTU office (details at the back of this Journal).

Jeff Backen Assistant Secretary – Services/Welfare

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To stay financial and continue to enjoy all the benefits of QTU membership, make sure your dues are paid by 31 March

Payment details – including options for monthly direct debit – are on your 2015 dues notice.

Help us stay in touch and update your details online today at www.qtu.asn.au/myqtu

Rounding up students to take part in immunisation programs is right up there with listening to enthusiastic renditions of the latest ‘One Direction’ song on a bus on the way home from camp or trying to wrap up a parent teacher interview with a parent who doesn’t pick up on the “we’re done” vibe. Ultimately, there are no winners in this situation; the kids hate it, the teachers hate it and the injection-givers have an air of wishing they were somewhere far, far away.

“Miss, do we have injections today?”

“Yes, Sarah, I told you that yesterday.”

“What? What? I didn’t think they were until next week.”

“I can’t have mine because I’m having an allergic reaction to a band aid.”

“I can’t have mine either. I think I’ve got a big dance competition tomorrow so I can’t risk it.”

“Miss! Miss! Jessica is crying. She is freaking out about getting her injection.”

“Oh my God! She, like, totally freaked out getting injections in primary school and she fully hyperventilated. Our principal had to hold her down while she had it done.”

“I’m sure that’s an exaggeration, Tyler….”

“Nah, I’m being serious. He really did hold her down.”

“Yeah, I saw it.”

Leading my reluctant injection warriors up to the isolated area of the school set aside for such events, there are tears, dramatic stories of near death injection events and staged attempts to escape the inevitable, such as clinging to poles and ducking behind trees and bushes.

“Miss, I think I’m going to be sick.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“No, like, I really feel sick.”

“Get a drink.”

“Miss, Jessica’s just been sick.”

“What? Where?”

“In the pot plant that the office put outside to get rained on.”

“Jessica? Jessica? Are you okay?”

“We told you she freaked out with needles.”

“And she told you she was going to be sick.”

Fair points.

“Could I have a volunteer to take Jessica to Sick Bay please?”

Every hand in the class shot up, super keen to escape their fate.

“Okay, Fiona you can take her. The rest of you, let’s go.”

“If you vomit, do you get out of having the needle?”

“That’s not how it works, Damian.”

“But it worked for Jessica.”

We arrived, very subdued, to join the line.

“Gabrielle has passed out! I can see her! She’s lying under the STI poster.”

The council nurse bustles over with a check list of injection recipients. There are a few fist pumps and sighs of relief as some students are told they have already had their injections, whilst the rest of the group musters courage.

“Do you get a lolly for getting your needle?”

“No, not this year.”

“Why?”

“Because our budgets have been cut.”

This is a devastating blow, but, with courage akin to that of first time bungee jumpers, they all make it through with a bit of coaxing… except poor Jessica. We spotted the gardener hosing off the pot plant as we made our way back to class.

Christina Adams

Immunisation gives me the needle

“If you vomit, do you get out of having the needle?”


Lighter side

Always helping “Life was not meant to be easy”, said a leading politician many years ago.

Many teachers and students live with this quote in their heads daily, especially when the media publishes results of national testing for the whole world to criticise. For too long, we have debated the best way to fund Australian education so as to achieve the best outcomes for all students.

Even though the best is sought for both students and teachers, ridiculing the teachers and cutting funding to schools and universities will not solve the problem. Teachers are confronted daily with the problems of class sizes, student disabilities and cuts to the money available to ensure that students reach their full potential.

For many who have recently escaped the merry-go-round, what to do with yourself could be a question you have already asked.

Maybe travel is an option until the finances are strained, but then how do we lead a fulfilling life? What about volunteering in some capacity? There are many organisations crying out for help. Volunteers are required for education programs such as A Flying Start for Queensland Children, which looks at increasing readiness for school, getting students ready for secondary school or generally boosting literacy and numeracy skills. If not the education area, there are many community-based charities that require assistance.

The first activity this year is a morning tea at the Irish Club in Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, starting at 10 am on Tuesday 24 March. This year our guest speaker is noted journalist and author Matthew Condon. Cost is $15. Please ring Donella Lister on 3848 5980 or 0409 630 319 if you wish to join us.

Being the centenary of ANZAC, our April activity is a tour of the Light Horse Regiment

Museum at Gallipoli Barracks, Lloyd Street, Enoggera. Again, note the change of date because of national celebrations. We will meet at 10am on 28 April. Please let Donella know it you can join us.

Help wantedWe need an editor for The Digest, which is published four times a year from articles compiled from news of outings, stories from members and news of coming events. If you could do this and would like to join the Executive, please ring Noela on 0408767079 or email at [email protected]

Lastly, it is hoped that many new retirees will see the benefits of continued contact with colleagues and join branch activities in 2015.

Noela RogersQRTA PRESIDENT

Just recently I met a gentleman who was once a student at Tinbeerwah State School, now closed. Now very much retired, he spoke of his headteacher, Noela Guy, aged 16 – yes 16, hard to believe now what was asked of young teachers back then!

Noela was a bright girl from a family of eight living in a humble but happy cottage. She skipped classes at the small Crescent Lagoon State School and Rockhampton High School before attending teachers college. Later her part-time studies gained her a BA and MEd at UQ. She also studied at the University of California LA. At retirement, Noela was acting principal of Somerset Hills SS. She had made history as one of the first three women appointed as a deputy principal.

Young Harold Sutcliffe began his career at the age of 17 as principal of Inkerman

State School, a one-teacher school south of Home Hill on the Burdekin. His 16th and final school was Ascot State School. He’s still remembered fondly in the Lower Burdekin, and indeed commands huge respect in numerous Queensland towns where he served. At The Gorge SS outside Mackay, Harold met Peg Ryan, and they married. Their four children have all entered the education profession, making remarkable contributions across the world. Sadly, illness claimed Peg’s life during Harold’s final principalship at Ascot.

In their retirement years, Harold and Noela married and co-authored a history of Ascot SS. Harold served as a trustee of the QTU and President of the Queensland Retired Teachers Association, contributing wisdom to the QRTA Executive and, with Noela, taking on the role of carer for members in times of joy and sorrow. Their wider and

profound contributions to the community in their latter years beggar belief.

Their departure from this life as 2014 ended was a wrench to members of the QRTA, but we rejoice that we had the privilege of knowing Harold and Noela Sutcliffe.

Jim PearseQRTA EXECUTIVE

Farewell Harold and Noela


Retired teachers

Blood pressureAlthough approximately one quarter of the Australian population suffers from high blood pressure at some stage, very few people are aware of exactly what this means.

Put simply, blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries generated by the heart as it pumps blood around the body. Blood pressure is represented by two numbers, the higher “systolic”, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is contracting, and the lower “diastolic”, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed.

Although a certain amount of blood pressure is required in the body to sustain life, problems start when this pressure exceeds these levels. Having high blood

pressure or hypertension means that you are at a significantly higher risk for heart disease, heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. The increased pressure on the artery walls can cause them to rupture and a lesion to form. This attracts clotting agents in the blood and fatty deposits floating through your bloodstream, ultimately leading to a blockage.

Most of the time, it isn’t until it gets to this stage that people become aware they have a problem. This is why high blood pressure is often referred to as “the silent killer”.

The good news is that hypertension is preventable, and controllable. The key is to be aware of your blood pressure and monitor it regularly. It is advisable to have your blood pressure checked every six

months, even if you’re feeling well. In this way, high blood pressure can be detected before complications begin to arise. Normal blood pressure is usually around 120/80, whereas, hypertension can be detected at around 131/86, or higher. If you know what your numbers are, and they put you at risk, there are simple ways to combat it.

Regular exercise has a natural relaxant effect on the arteries, assisting to expand them and therefore alleviate hypertension. Maintaining a healthy diet, free from too much salt, is another key to establishing healthy blood pressure. Being able to effectively control the stress in your life will strengthen your odds to being able to manage hypertension. Smoking significantly contributes to an increase in heart rate and pressure in the arteries.

This article is not designed to replace the advice of your health care professional.

Winedown The Mission Beach and Burgundy Club began in 1996, when a group decided that once a month they would get together at a restaurant where a set menu would be served and matching wines would be presented.

This month, the club meeting was at the Bingil Bay Café. The menu, chosen in consultation between the club’s Food Master and the café chef, began with an entrée of sashimi yellow fin tuna, sesame seed coated and served with a crunchy noodle salad and lime/sesame drizzle. The main was a twice cooked lamb shank braised in rich vegetable ragout and served with minted chat potatoes.

The aperitif wine was the Heemskerk Abel’s Tempest Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2010. The region is southern Tasmania and the winemaker is the accomplished Anna Pooley. It has been bottle fermented and aged on yeast lees for 18 months. Great fruit aromas and flavours, a creamy texture and a sustained finish.

The club practice is to serve two wines with

each course. The entrée is a challenge for wine matching. Japanese food has complex flavours and delicate textures that demand wines that will be in harmony with the texture of the meal. The sashimi style fish will showcase umami flavour as well.

The first wine was from the Grampians region, a Best Great Western Riesling 2011. Still presenting as bright on the palate with an intense core of lime and lemon, with the first sign of age complexity. The second wine was Tim Adams Semillon 2011 from the Clare Valley. Presents fresh on the palate with undertones of age complexity starting to develop. Both wines were 11.5 per cent alcohol and proved to be excellent matches in both flavour and texture with the sashimi.

In considering wine for the main, an important factor is climate. It is February

in north Queensland and the temperature will be about 26 to 29 degrees. The wet season has finally started and humidity will be high - think 70 per cent. The wine master has put the reds in the café fridge yesterday afternoon and will take them out before the evening begins so that they gently reach serving temperature. Serving at ambient temperature is not an option.

The first wine was the Steam Wharf Road Pinot Noir 2011, which is from the Marlborough region of NZ and made by Fiona Turner of Tinpot Wines. An elegant Pinot Noir with good texture and balance, with attractive fruit flavours. The second wine was the Juniper Crossing Tempranillo 2010 from Margaret River. This shows how food friendly and suited to serving in the tropics it is. The alcohol was 15 per cent but the wine is beautifully balanced and carries the alcohol with ease. Aging has integrated the array flavours into a seamless wine.

Warwick Jull, Keryn Archer and Jenni Holmes

This column supplied by TUH.


At leisure

There’s romance in retirementSuperannuation may not seem like most romantic topic, but when it comes time to retire, you want to know that you have done everything to help secure a solid retirement for both you and your spouse.

As one of Queensland’s largest superannuation funds, QSuper wants to make sure we do everything we can to help our members have a great retirement. Our members appreciate our low fees, solid returns1, access to personal financial advice and our seminar program, and we think their spouses will enjoy these benefits too.

Any QSuper member can open an accumulation account for their spouse2, even if they’ve never worked for the Queensland Government. QSuper accepts contributions from both Queensland Government and non-Queensland Government employers, so members’ spouses can have their current employer contribute to their new QSuper account.

While it may not be the most extravagant gift for your special someone, there definitely is some romance in planning a great retirement with your spouse.

Members can find out more by visiting qsuper.qld.gov.au or calling 1300 360 750.

1. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

2. Subject to eligibility, please refer to the Accumulation Account Product Disclosure Statement available at www.qsuper.qld.gov.au or by calling 1300 360 750

This information is provided by the fund administrator, QSuper Limited (ABN 50 125 248 286 AFSL 334546) which is ultimately owned by the QSuper Board (ABN 32 125 059 006) as trustee for the QSuper Fund (ABN 60 905 115 063). All products are issued by the QSuper Board as trustee for the QSuper Fund. This information has been prepared for general purposes only without taking into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider whether the product is appropriate for you and read the product disclosure statement (PDS) before making a decision. You can download the PDS from our website at qsuper.qld.gov.au, or call us on 1300 360 750 and we’ll send you a copy. © QSuper Board of Trustees 2015

This column supplied by

Superannuation


Queensland Teachers Union of EmployeesElection Notice

The Queensland Industrial Registrar has issued Decisions, pursuant to the Industrial Relations Act 1999, that the ElectoralCommission of Queensland conduct an election for positions of office within the Queensland Teachers Union of Employees.

BallotsShould a ballot be necessary, the Commission will conduct a secret postal ballot of financial members of theUnion in the respective Branch. The above ballots, if required, will open on Wednesday, 6 May 2015 and closeat midday on Thursday, 28 May 2015.

JACINTA HYNESReturning Officer

2 March 2015

ELECTORAL COMMISSION of QUEENSLANDLevel 6 160 Mary Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 GPO Box 1393 BRISBANE QLD 4001

Telephone (07) 3035 8057 or 1300 881 665 Facsimile (07) 3036 [email protected] www.ecq.qld.gov.au

Information for CandidatesCandidates for election must be financial members of the Union at the close of nominations. All nominationsmust be in writing and signed by the nominee. Nomination forms must also be signed by at least two (2)financial members of the Union, provided that:

Nominees for State Council Representative of a Branch must be a member of the relevant Branch and signedby at least two (2) financial members of the relevant Branch.

Candidates who wish to withdraw their nomination may do so five (5) clear days after the close of nominations.Prospective candidates and their nominators should verify their financial status and other qualifications re-quired by the Union (refer to Union Rules 6.4 & 6.5).

Acknowledgement correspondence will be sent via email.Please ensure your email address has been provided.

Nominations close at midday on Wednesday, 8 April 2015Nominations open at midday on Friday, 13 March 2015. Nominations must be in writing, comply with the registeredrules of the Union and reach the Electoral Commission of Queensland no later than midday onWednesday, 8 April 2015.

A nomination form suitable for use in this election is printed with this Journal. Nomination forms are alsoavailable from your Union’s office, the Electoral Commission and the Commission’s website; www.ecq.qld.gov.au.Any form of nomination that complies with the Union’s rules is acceptable.

Nominations may be received by means of hand delivery, post, facsimile or any other electronic means thatincludes the signatures of the nominees and nominators. Nominees should ensure that their nomination isreceived by the Commission and can be clearly read.

Office No. of PositionsState Council Representative of a BranchBlackwater ..................................................................................................... 1Capalaba ....................................................................................................... 1Darling Downs North ..................................................................................... 1North East Brisbane ...................................................................................... 1


Queensland Teachers Union of EmployeesNomination Form

Nominations close at midday on Wednesday, 8 April 2015We the undersigned financial members of the Queensland Teachers Union of Employees, hereby nominate

Member No: Ms/Mr/Other:

for the position/s of : (Tick the box/es to indicate the position/s of office that the nominee is standing for election to)

State Council Representative of a Branch

Blackwater

Capalaba

Darling Downs North

North East Brisbane

Membership No. Full Name Signature

Consent to Nomination (Candidate to Complete)

And I, a financial member of the Queensland

Teachers Union of Employees from Branch/Area

Council, do hereby agree to be nominated and to act if elected.

Address:Postcode

Telephone: (Home) (Business)

(Mobile) Facsimile:

E-mail:

Signature: Date:Acknowledgement correspondence will be sent via email. Please ensure your email address has been provided.

(Print the full name of the person you are nominating)

(Print your name as you would like it to appear on the ballot paper)

(Branch name / Area Council name - if nominating for Area Council officer position)

(Courtesy Title)

ELECTORAL COMMISSION of QUEENSLANDLevel 6 160 Mary Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 GPO Box 1393 BRISBANE QLD 4001

Telephone (07) 3035 8057 or 1300 881 665 Facsimile (07) 3036 [email protected] www.ecq.qld.gov.au

QTAD (Queensland Teachers Assist Desk): 1300 117 823 Telephone: (07) 3512 9000 Fax: (07) 3512 9050 Email: [email protected] Web: www.qtu.asn.au Address: 21 Graham Street, Milton | PO Box 1750, Milton BC Qld 4064 Facebook: www.facebook.com/QueenslandTeachersUnion

All officers, organisers and members of Executive may be contacted through the Union office, except where an alternative is given below.

Senior Officers OrganisersPresident Mr K. Bates a/h phone 0418 789 162 twitter.com/QTUPresident

Vice-President Ms Sam Pidgeon a/h phone 0400 705 180

Honorary Vice-President Ms J. Swadling

General Secretary Mr G. Moloney a/h phone 0409 613 703

Deputy General Secretary Ms K. Ruttiman a/h phone 0419 655 749

Deputy General Secretary Mr B. Welch a/h 0408 194 385

Brisbane based:

Telephone (07)3512 9000 or email [email protected] B. Crotty (Brisbane South)

Ms F. McNamara (on leave) Mr R. Frame (acting) (Brisbane North)

Ms K. O’Neill (Redlands/Logan)

Ms L. Esders (Moreton)

Mr D. Terauds (TAFE) [email protected]

Regional:

Mr Z. Sugden (South Queensland) 1-3 Russell St (cnr Neil St), PO Box 2859, Toowoomba Qld 4350 Phone (07) 4614 4600, fax (07) 4614 4650 Email: [email protected]

Mr Bob Shaw (acting) (North Queensland) 15 Palmer Street PO Box 5622, Townsville MC Qld 4810 Phone (07) 4722 6400, fax (07) 4722 6450Email: [email protected]

Ms J. McFadden (acting) (Gold Coast) Bldg 6, 175 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes 4227 PO Box 4, Varsity Lakes 4227 Phone: (07) 5562 6800, fax: (07) 5562 6850 Email: [email protected]

Ms M. Duffy (Peninsula)255 Mulgrave Road PO Box 275, Westcourt Qld 4870 Phone (07) 4046 7500, fax (07) 4046 7550Email: [email protected]

Mr S. Welch (Wide Bay) Shop 6, 264 Bazaar Street, PO Box 150, Maryborough Qld 4650 Phone (07) 4120 0300, fax (07) 4120 0350 Email: [email protected]

Ms M. Maguire (Sunshine Coast) 6a, 9 Capital Place, Birtinya PO Box 159, Buddina Qld 4575 Phone: (07) 5413 1700, fax: (07) 5413 1750Email: [email protected]

Mr B. Thomson (Central Queensland)Rockhampton Trade Union Centre, 110-114 Campbell St, Rockhampton, Qld 4700 Phone (07) 4920 4200, fax (07) 4920 4250 or a/h (07) 4928 8177Email: [email protected]

Executive membersMr P. AndersonMr A. BeattieMr A. CookDr P. DarbenMs L. OlssonMs C. RichardsonMs N. RoosMr N. ShirleyMs R. SugdenMs P. TaylorMr A. ThompsonMr S. Tibaldi

Assistant secretaries - ServicesMr M. Anghel Mr J. BackenMs P. BousenMs L. Cowie-McAlister

Assistant secretary - Services/Women's CoordinatorMs P. Spalding

Assistant secretary - Research and IndustrialMs T. EdmondsDr J. McCollowMs L. Mertens Ms K. Roy

A 40 year reunion is being organised for teachers who arrived in Australia from the US in 1975. Thursday 26 March, 3.30pm - late. 39 Pitta Place, Carseldine. RSVP by the end of February. Contact Pat Hersey on 04 9111 4064 or [email protected]

Kulpi State School celebrates 100 years of quality schooling in 2015. The centenary celebrations will be held in the school grounds on Saturday 8 August. All past staff and students are welcome to join in the fun, including classroom displays and the opening of the 75th time capsule. Organisers are also seeking memorabilia, anecdotes or photographs. Please contact Kulpi State School on 46928239, or Carolyn Bidgood on 46928226.

Submit your events to: [email protected] or fax 3512 9050

Classifieds

RESOURCES

AUSSIE MATHS Word Problem Worksheets. Fun WORDED maths based on current affairs, pop stars, TV shows, sport, etc. Emailed fresh each weekend. 3 Primary School levels. SCHOOL ORDERS ACCEPTED. Just $159 per full school year. FREE SAMPLES at www.EdShop.net.au/mondaymaths or Email your request to [email protected] Tel.: (03) 8746 8332.

VOLUNTEERS

RETIRING SOON?Volunteers For Isolated Students' Education recruits retired teachers to assist outback families with their distance education program. Travel and accommodation provided in return for six weeks teaching. Register at www.vise.org.au

Financial members can list in the classifieds for half price. Contact [email protected] for more information.


Contact details

Anniversaries/reunions

To inquire about advertising or to place an ad in the Journal, contact (07) 3512 9000, visit www.qtu.asn.au/journal or email [email protected]

Get smart with your salary.

www.qld.smartsalary.com.au

Call 1300 218 598

Salary packaging may enable you to spend more on the things you love and less on income tax. So you may enjoy tax savings on items like:

Laptops & iPads

If you use either of these devices for work, why not salary package them?

Novated Car Leases

There is no longer a minimum KM requirement, which means more people may enjoy great tax savings.

Q-Super

Make the most of your super by making pre-tax contributions into your super fund.^

Disclaimer: Salary packaging is only available to eligible employees of the Queensland Government as per the Standing Offer Arrangement CPO 250/10. The implications of salary packaging for you (including tax savings and impacts on benefits, surcharges, levies and/or other entitlements) will depend on your individual circumstances. The information in this publication has been prepared by Smartsalary for general information purposes only, without taking into consideration any individual circumstances. Smartsalary and the Queensland Government recommend that before acting on any information or entering into a salary packaging arrangement and/or a participation agreement with your employer, you should consider your objectives, financial situation and needs, and, take the appropriate legal, financial or other professional advice based upon your own particular circumstances. You should also read the Salary Packaging Participation Agreement and the relevant Queensland Government Salary Packaging Information Booklets and Fact Forms available via the Queensland Government Contracts Directory at http://qcd.govnet.qld.gov.au/Pages/Details.aspx?RecID=839. The Queensland Government strongly recommends that you obtain independent financial advice prior to entering into, or changing the terms of, a salary packaging arrangement. ^Pre-tax superannuation contributions are not eligible for the Government Co-contribution.

We don’t pay fees to financial advisers, so there are no hidden costs to you!

QLD GOV_Teachers Ad_Oct 2014.indd 1 21/10/2014 10:25:22 AM

journal mar 2015

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