QTU Biennial Conference: Our meeting place
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 6, 16 August 2019, page no. 16
The QTU biennial conference was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 1 - 3 July 2019
The theme for the conference was “Our Meeting Place”, a theme suggested by the QTU’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working group.
From this theme, the three days of conference were divided into core activities.
The first day was “Reflect, remember and celebrate”. It was on this day that life memberships were conferred, activism was recognised and the Reconciliation Action Plan was launched. The panel on this day concentrated on building power in the workplace.
The theme of the second day allowed the Union to consider key matters such as what was occurring across the country and internationally, as well as within the profession. Guest speakers on this day explored concepts of professional autonomy and using professional issues in the industrial space. Concurrent sessions on workload, professional autonomy, building power in the workplace and when the professional meets the industrial provided a useful frame in “Setting the agenda”
The theme of the final day of the Conference was “The power to make it happen”, and this was the day where policy and the QTU Conference Statement were also finalised.
While these overarching themes provided a framework for discussion and member activities, most of the Conference was dedicated to the consideration of Fair Funding Now!, the EB9 campaign, and the state government's offer.
Over 250 rank and file delegates from across the state discussed and dissected the EB9 offer, resolving to recommend the offer to members. This debate truly reflected the theme of the Conference, which is where we met to discuss, debate and decide the current and future direction of the Union and the profession.
Members should feel confident that the democratic structures of the QTU are vibrant and robust. Thank you to all the delegates who volunteered their time in the holidays to represent their colleagues and fellow members.
For more on the Conference, visit https://www.qtu.asn.au/conference