Issue 5 Centenary Special Edition METHERELL MAYHEM In one of the largest demonstrations Students from Mosman High School in Australian labour history, more than and North Sydney Boys High School 80,000 teachers, parents and students led the School Students’ Union at the gathered for a Day of Action in Day of Action in The Domain. Students The Domain, Sydney, on 17 August from at least 100 schools took part. 1988 to reject the Greiner/Metherell School Students’ Union Secretary Alex government’s attack on public Malatestas was most concerned about the education. loss of 2000 teachers from public schools. The newly elected NSW Government Student activists carried banners with had been quick to announce: strong messages such as: • the axing of 2400 teaching positions • “Concerned students today, voters of • the axing of 800 office staff positions tomorrow” • abandoning capital works in the • “40,000 HSC students can’t be wrong” education portfolio • “Education is a human right” The demise of Terry Metherell • curriculum to be under the central • “Teachers, parents, students united in and Nick Greiner control of the Minister for Education defence of public education”. • the sale of $340 million of public assets On 20 July 1990, Terry Metherell was forced to Teachers first took industrial action over • changes to the HSC resign from his position as education minister the government’s plans on 9 June 1988. • the dismantling of the Department when media revealed he had evaded paying They participated in further strikes and of Education’s Women’s Programs tax on his property portfolio. He was replaced stopwork meetings in coming years to in TAFE by Virginia Chadwick on 24 June 1990. demonstrate their strong opposition • dismantling of equal opportunity and In October 1991, he resigned from the Liberal to the Greiner government’s approaches gender equity programs for students Party on live TV on the ABC’s 7.30 Report. on education and industrial matters. and teachers Mr Metherell ended his political career • staff and funding cuts to TAFE Scott Report in April 1992 when he resigned as the • reducing casual teacher numbers independent member for Davidson. • eliminating free public transport for Mr Greiner frequently remarked how he Mr Greiner was reported to the school students wished to manage the state of NSW like Independent Commission Against Corruption • increasing charges for public education a business. Education Minister Terry (ICAC) over Metherell’s resignation and • increasing class sizes. Metherell appointed Brian Scott to review appointment to a position at the Environmental Thousands of people marched to the education in NSW. His 1999 report, Protection Authority. After Commissioner Ian Education Department offices in regional Schools Renewal: A Strategy to Revise Temby found Mr Greiner “corrupt within the centres and to Parliament House in Schools within the New South Wales State meaning of the Independent Commission Macquarie Street, carrying banners that Education System, contained a radical Against Corruption Act 1988” on 19 June told Premier Nick Greiner and Education devolution agenda that was at the heart of 1992, he was forced out of office and resigned Minister Terry Metherell exactly what the struggle between Federation and the on 24 June 1992. The ICAC finding was later More than 80,000 teachers, parents and students marched in Sydney on teachers thought of their agenda. Greiner government from 1988-1992. overturned by the NSW Court of Appeal. 17 August 1988 to protest the NSW government’s cuts to public education Wran government announces plans to close the Superannuation Scheme Ten-week re-training courses are introduced to address teacher shortages Statewide strikes in August and Octo ber 40,000 students are refused TAFE to protest against special education Differential staffing achieved enrolments due to a lack of teachers Cuts to TAFE funding results in fewer staffing levels for disadvantaged schools and suitable accommodation enrolments for TAFE courses 1978 1980 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 Schools allocated two student-free days 80,000 protest in The Domain over the Child rearing recognised in salary Hawke Labor government announces plans for professional learning programs Greiner/Metherell government’s attack progression to further fund wealthy private schools on public education Maternity leave extended and provisions for part-time leave included Succession of social justice firsts Three significant appointments between 1975 and 1986 demonstrated Federation’s commitment to social reform. Other unions made similar appointments as a result of the high-profile activism of Federation officers in these pioneering roles. Women’s Coordinator Gail Shelston was elected as Federation’s Coordinator of the Women’s Action Program in 1975, the International Year of Women. That year’s Annual Conference voted to extend the Women’s Coordinator position beyond 1975, however not all members were pleased with this decision and voiced their objections in Education’s letters to the editor and in conference debates. PROTRACTED BATTLES IN TAFE Ms Shelston started her teaching career at Corrimal High School in 1972. Her Federation activism began that same year TAFE teachers engaged in difficult, protracted of the Labor government to honour a string of election TAFE and begin charging students administration in the Illawarra Teachers Association. As the first Women’s and budget promises since 1976. In 1985, 40,000 fees for courses studied. Coordinator from 1975-1977, she established the permanent battles with the Wran Labor and Greiner Liberal Women’s Action program within the union. governments over equal teaching hours, known as the students were denied an enrolment in TAFE because These attacks on TAFE were unprecedented. She published regular articles in Education and 18:12 campaigns. of staffing and accommodation shortages. Teachers were forced to make trade-offs for small travelled throughout NSW speaking at conferences and at Teachers of General and Diploma courses taught 18 In 1987, the Unsworth Labor government cynically salary increases. After the resignation of Education universities on affirmative action and equal opportunity. hours with 12 hours of preparation time (18:12 princi- dismissed earlier promises and again claimed that Minister Terry Metherell in 1990, TAFE was During this period, Ms Shelston was a member of the ple) while trade teachers taught for 24 hours with six budget constraints worked against the implementation transferred away from public education to the Minister Department of Education’s Equal Employment Opportunity hours of preparation time. All full-time TAFE teachers of equal teaching hours for all TAFE teachers. for Industrial Relations and Employment, John Fahey. were required to be on site for 30 hours per week. The withdrawal of $13 million in funding from Task Force and Federation’s Affirmative Action Committee. Scott Review As a result of the high profile and successful advocacy by 1986-1988 by the Labor government resulted in the A management review of TAFE by Brian Scott fore- Ms Shelston in her pioneering Women’s Coordinator Unfulfilled promise loss of 520 full-time TAFE teaching positions. role, other unions appointed similar roles from 1975 onwards. In 1981, the Wran Labor government accepted the shadowed significant changes to the working condi- 18:12 staffing principle for all TAFE teachers but failed Savage attacks on sector tions of TAFE teachers from 1989-1990. Aboriginal Education Officer to follow through with any implementation strategies The election of the Greiner Coalition government in The further loss of 100,000 students from TAFE, Federation’s first Policy Statement on in the state budgets from 1982-1986. March 1988 exacerbated the fraught industrial following the introduction of fees, seemed to concern Aboriginal Education was adopted at During 1986, several confrontational stopwork landscape. Within three months of the election, in NSW voters and Federation significantly more than it the 1980 Annual Conference. Earlier meetings, one-day strikes, rallies, mass meetings, a very provocative move, the Greiner government concerned the government. statements and publications outlining referrals to the Industrial Relations Commission increased TAFE staffing to 22 hours per week for all The attacks on TAFE funding, staffing provisions, the problems faced by Aboriginal (IRC), delegations and strong campaigning failed to full-time teachers from 1989. and vocational education curriculum guarantees for students in schools had been resolve the 18:12 issue. Each time the government The “daylight equivalent” (time-and-a-half after students continued throughout the Greiner/Fahey released previously. claimed there were insufficient funds to appoint 6pm) was also cancelled by the newly-elected governments until the Carr Labor government Nominations for the foundation additional teachers to facilitate the implementation of government, despite it being part of the TAFE award was elected in April 1995. Unfortunately, the ongoing position of Aboriginal Education the 18:12 formula for all TAFE teachers. since 1938. In November 1988, the IRC rejected the marginalisation and residualisation of TAFE as Coordinator were received in October 1985, and Tony Amatto Industrial activity secured a revised 20:10 staffing government’s application to increase teaching hours. a public education provision by successive Labor (pictured) was elected as the first Coordinator in 1986. He held hours