State Council Report: 7 March 2026
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 2, 2 April 2026, page no.4
Strengthening our collective future
The March 2026 meeting of the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) State Council marked a pivotal moment in advancing the Union’s strategic direction, member advocacy, and organisational accountability.
A range of significant updates — from budgetary sustainability to statewide safety structures — reflected a Union focused on strengthening the profession during a period of intense industrial and political challenge.
Operational Plan alignment and strategic focus
Central to the March Council discussions was the presentation of the 2026 Operational Plan, developed to give practical effect to the QTU 2026 Priorities. The plan aligns campaign work, internal governance, and budget decisions with the QTU Strategic Objectives 2024–2028, ensuring organisational coherence and disciplined prioritisation.
Key initiatives include the development of a stability and systems agenda, deployment of a member service charter, a work health and safety (WHS)/health and safety representative (HSR) flagship project, reforms to professional development, and improved integration of member-servicing data to support evidence-based decision-making.
These initiatives position the QTU to respond proactively to sectorwide pressures, including workload, teacher shortages, and increasingly complex learning environments.
Budget strength and investment for the future
The 2026 QTU budget reinforced the Union’s strong financial stewardship, with Council noting a projected surplus driven by membership growth, lower-than-expected employment costs, and strong investment returns.
Despite increased expenditure in legal services and infrastructure depreciation, the Union remains committed to strategic investment in regional offices, ICT upgrades, member engagement tools, and critical campaign capacity.
The budget’s cautious assumptions — informed by the freeze on membership dues during arbitration — ensure that financial sustainability is prioritised while still supporting critical member-facing initiatives.
Arbitration: A new phase
The EB11 process formally entered arbitration, marking a significant shift in how members understand and engage with the campaign. Council was advised that bargaining and conciliation had ceased and the matter was now before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) for arbitration, with the QTU preparing comprehensive expert evidence and witness testimony for hearing dates as yet unknown.
The reframing of the campaign as “the schools arbitration” underscores the seriousness of the moment and the need for sustained member solidarity. While timeframes remain lengthy, the Union reaffirmed its commitment to transparent communication and respectful advocacy throughout the process.
Reconciliation Action Plan: embedding accountability
Meaningful reconciliation remained a central theme of Council deliberations.
The QTU acknowledged the need to recommit to its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), noting that several internal operational commitments from the Innovate RAP had not been achieved.
Council resolved to strengthen internal accountability mechanisms, ensure clearer distribution of RAP responsibilities, and conduct an audit of cultural protocols — including Acknowledgements of Country and Sorry Business — across meeting structures. These steps set a refreshed foundation for a renewed Innovate RAP submission to Reconciliation Australia later this year.
HSR network: empowering members to create safer workplaces
The impact of the growing HSR network was demonstrated through a powerful case study from Pacific Pines State High School. This showcased how trained, empowered HSRs — supported by the QTU — can drive significant improvements in addressing longstanding WHS hazards such as mould, heat stress, unsafe infrastructure, and unresolved departmental issues.
The HSR network is emerging as one of the most effective worker-led structures for improving the daily working conditions of members.
QTU members and Union Reps from Jamboree Heights State School provided an example of how coming together as a collective to address ongoing and significant facilities issues led to new as well as improved facilities leading to a safer workplace for all.