QTU committees: State Accommodation
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 126 No 3, 9 April 2021, page no.16
The QTU’s State Accommodation Committee (SAC) is a representative group of members and Organisers from regional/remote areas with a shared purpose of supporting the statewide recruitment and retention of teachers to regional/remote areas. This is done through advocating and campaigning with members to ensure the protection and improvement of the provision of teacher housing.
"The availability of housing and the condition of properties in rural and remote communities can be the difference between a principal securing a teacher or being left short-staffed." Sammy Blocksidge, Peninsula & North West Organiser (Yirrganydji country)
"If staff feel valued and looked after, they will stay for longer than planned, leading to more stable learning for students.” David Brace, Moranbah SHS (Barada Barna country)
"I am committed to the continued provision of housing as an incentive to retain and attract quality teachers to the regions. I’ve seen first-hand how this can work well, and what can happen when it doesn't." Scott Casey, Charters Towers State High School (Gudjal country)
"I believe strongly that country kids deserve the same education as city kids. Providing teacher housing as a way of attracting and retaining quality teachers is therefore an essential part of education in rural and remote Queensland." Dan Coxen, QTU Central Queensland Organiser (Darumbal country)
"The SAC considers the future and wellbeing of a strong workforce for public education. It supports the focus of a transfer system that promotes success, wellbeing and capability development of a diverse and skilled workforce." Janeen Fricke, Mount Isa School of the Air (Kalkadoon country)
"Without enticing teachers to come, then stay, in our rural towns, the local schools would be understaffed. Understaffing schools results in students not having access to the education to which they are entitled and further entrenches the city/rural divide." Bede Horsfall, Emerald State High School (Gayiri country)
"Having lived, worked, and campaigned for better housing conditions for our teachers and school leaders for more than two decades, especially in the most remote parts of the north, I know just how important it is to respect and treat our teachers as the professionals they are." James Matysek, Northern Peninsula Area State College (Proud Erubam Le man living and working on Gudang Yadhaykenu country)
"Teacher housing has always been essential to ensure our regional schools have the staff they need and to support the wellbeing of teachers new to the great way of life in regional Queensland." Don Mengel, Kingaroy SHS (Wakka Wakka country)
"The SAC continues to advocate for members to ensure isolation is not a barrier. It is a privilege to be a voice for our members, to contribute to the teacher housing policy review, and to ensure quality conditions are offered to recruit school leaders and teachers in rural and remote locations." Carolyn Ramsay, Cunnamulla P-12 State School (Kunya country)
"Being a member of the SAC is another way to ensure that members in regional, rural and remote locations are provided with the living conditions needed to support them as they support our students." Anne Rathmell, Dalby SHS Bunya Campus
(Barrungum country)
"SAC gives a voice to the hundreds of teachers who rely upon quality housing in order to ensure that they deliver a quality service to the community." Bob Shaw, Mackay North State High School (Yuibera country)
"Being on SAC provides me the opportunity to share my experience of living in teacher housing for the past nine years and chairing the Blackwater Local Accommodation Committee for the past 18 months." Chris Smith, Blackwater SHS (Ghungalu country)
"Our rural and remote members value and appreciate the work of the SAC in being able to address and fix housing issues in a timely fashion." Zeb Sugden, South Queensland Organiser (Giabal and Jarowair country)
"Regional, rural and remote teachers deserve quality housing with high quality maintenance and support. The SAC is the eyes, ears and mouth of our members and ensures that housing is and remains a high priority." Jenny Swadling, Charleville School of Distance Education/QTU Honorary Vice-President (Bidjara country)
"My work on SAC is underpinned by my belief that teacher housing is a right rather than a privilege. SAC ensures that teachers have access to accommodation, of an acceptable standard, even if they are working in some of the most remote areas of the state." Scott Welch, QTU Organiser Wide Bay (Butchulla country)