The Fyles government is risking a mass exodus of teachers from the Northern Territory and raises the prospect of school closures, according to Shadow Education Minister Jo Hersey.
Australian Education Union NT president Michelle Ayers this morning said Term 3 holidays were when teachers often made the critical decision whether to stay in the Northern Territory or not.
Shadow Minister for Education Jo Hersey said the Fyles Labor government must immediately sit down and have a genuine conversation with teachers.
“Teachers deserve to have the opportunity to sit down with a government that negotiates in good faith,” she said.
“Failing to do so is inviting teachers to pack their bags and leave the Territory, potentially forcing the government to close schools.
“The Territory deserves better than a government that sits in an ivory tower, throwing out offers and hoping for the best.
“To hear the union warn of schools being in danger of closing or running on low staff numbers is alarming, and should be taken seriously by Natasha Fyles and her cabinet.”
Ms Ayers pointed out this morning that it would cost less to stop teachers leaving than it would to attract new teachers to the Territory to replace those that do leave.
Mrs Hersey said if the Fyles Labor government hadn’t wasted millions of dollars on pet projects and roads to nowhere, they would have the money to scrap the pay freeze.
“They must be shaking their heads in shame knowing they’ve wasted taxpayer money on pet projects that could have instead made Territory teachers the best paid in the country,” she said.
“But now they are here counting pennies, pretending everything is OK.”
Mrs Hersey reiterated the shocking numbers revealed during budget estimates in June.
“The numbers are alarming – between 2021 and 2022, there was a loss of 51 full-time teachers, and 474 Department of Education staff resigned, 75 more than the previous year,” she said.
“Our children cannot afford to lose their teachers to better offers from interstate.
“Natasha Fyles must make the Territory an attractive place to live and work.”
ENDS