No. 3-23, 13 June 2023 | Open PDF

TO: QTU MEMBERS

Today the State Budget was handed down. Additional information about what this entails for teachers and school leaders will be sent out in the coming days.  

The QTU is committed to providing members with regular updates of the many ways in which the QTU is working for you, each and every day.

This edition comes to you following the QTU Executive meeting on Friday 9 June.

Behaviour management

The QTU continues to work with the department regarding member concerns over the current approach to behaviour management.  The Union has updated the occupational violence poster for use in schools, and will continue to support schools in gaining the resources necessary to address occupational violent and behaviour management concerns.

National School Reform Agreement Survey – closes 5:00pm Friday 23 June

Ahead of the next National School Reform Agreement (NSRA), the federal government is surveying educators on how to improve student outcomes, support student mental health and wellbeing, and attract and retain teachers.

We know that to see real change for teachers and students, state schools must be properly and fairly funded.

This survey is our chance to ensure the Albanese government meets its election commitment of a pathway to 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard for all state schools.

To make sure your voice counts, please follow these simple steps:

1. Visit the survey website here by 5:00pm Friday 23 June.
2. Where available, pick the answers relating to reduced workload, more support staff, and better equipment & infrastructure (all of which require additional funding)
3. Use the “other” option to mention “fair and full funding” and “schools to be funded to the minimum schooling resource standard”.
4. Share the survey link and the instructions above with your colleagues.
    

Also, please encourage your family and any friends with school-aged children to participate via the parent/guardian version of the survey on the same website – the more responses we send, the stronger our case will be.

The survey is open to both teachers and parents of school-aged children: https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/consultations/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation

Artificial intelligence (Chat GPT)

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents many exciting opportunities, but also brings with it many challenges that will require ongoing-monitoring and response. The pace of change in the field of AI is rapid and the QTU will continue to work to ensure that the professional and industrial rights of our members are safeguarded in this fast-changing digital age.

The Queensland Al Working Group (QAWG), chaired by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, has been established to explore the opportunities, impacts and risks associated with Al. This includes members from the Department of Education, non-state schooling sectors and principal associations, as well as QTU representation. This group will help to inform Queensland's contribution to national work on Al, which is being undertaken by the AI Taskforce.

In the absence of AI guidelines in education, the QTU and the Independent Education Union - Queensland and Northern Territory Branch (IEU-QNT) have collaborated to develop a Queensland framework to guide professional decision making in relation to AI and other digital technologies. This document can be found here:https://www.qtu.asn.au/joint-ieu-qntqtu-ai-position-paper

Key points to remember when using artificial intelligence at your workplace:

• All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure the user complies with their obligations to protect student data.
• The user must also ensure that any information shared with AI is of a general nature and does not identify students or workplace and/or government agencies.

Respect in the workplace survey

On April 26, members of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Working Group met. This group is made up of representatives from Queensland’s unions and the Public Service Commission. The QTU has two representatives in this working group: QTU Vice-President Leah Olsson and QTU Assistant Secretary Gillian Armit.

On the agenda was a sector-wide survey focused on sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace behaviour developed by the Office of the Special Commissioner, Equity and Diversity.

After QTU advocacy, school-based employees are now included in this survey, which opened on 30 May.

It can be accessed by department staff via the 30 May edition of the department’s Connect Ed. The details can be found under “all staff news – respect in the workplace survey”.

Early childhood education matters!

National webinar – Monday 19 June, 7pm-8pm (AEST)

Significant work is being undertaken to transform Australia’s early childhood education and care system.

The provision of two years of publicly funded “pre-school” prior to prep for all children would provide rich educational opportunities for all students and improve educational access and success for students experiencing social disadvantage.

The QTU supports and is committed to the Australian Education Union’s (AEU’s) “Pre-school Funding Now!” campaign.

The states of Victoria and New South Wales have already commenced the roll-out of two years of pre-school.  

We know that early learning matters for children, and it matters for QTU members.

Join us for this national online meeting to hear how the rollout of three-year-old kinder/preschool is benefitting children and public schools in Victoria, what’s happening in other states, and the accessibility of early childhood services.

RSVP for this national online meeting to unpack the questions and explore the challenges, reflect some of the excitement about the reforms, and identify the opportunities before us. High-quality early childhood education and care is a vital component of the public education system and an entitlement of all Australian children.

Join the conversation today. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlfumvrzwiG9we-rhMQoAjwqiuF7jUNjw1#/registration

QTU member survey

At the heart of the QTU are our democratic structures, which allow members to actively participate and help guide the direction of our Union, including via branch meetings, State Council and Executive. Our wide network of Reps and Organisers provides another important route through which members can have their voices heard. 

From today we’re providing an additional route for members to have their say on the important issues facing our Union and profession. We’re introducing quarterly member surveys to track member attitudes and satisfaction.

Please take a moment to complete it - it only takes a few minutes and it will make sure your voice is heard. 

Survey link: https://www.qtu.asn.au/qtu-member-survey-june-2023

New QTU Executive/correction

The below Executive list has been corrected from the original communication emailed on 26 May

QTU Executive is made up of six Senior Officers, one First Nations representative, one TAFE representative and 12 other State Council members. Executive meets fortnightly throughout the term via videoconferencing. In between State Council meetings, the QTU Executive has the responsibility to review and discuss Union business.  

A new term has now commenced for QTU Executive. The Executive members are:

• Maika Bailey – teacher, Benowa Branch/South-East Region
• Lisa Broadhurst - teacher, North East Brisbane Branch/Metropolitan Region
• Josh Cleary – deputy principal, Noosa District/North Coast Region
• Peter Darben – teacher, Camp Hill Branch/Metropolitan Region
• Nicole Elkins – teacher, Merrimac Branch/South-East Region
• Shane Hancock - deputy principal, Ipswich Central Branch/Metropolitan Region
• Joel Hanlon – teacher, Townsville Branch/North Queensland Region
• Liam Holcombe – teacher, Darling Downs Central Branch / Darling Downs SW Region
• *Kate Kermode – Teacher, Caboolture Branch/North Coast Region
• *Natalie Montague-Clarke – teacher, Wynnum Branch/Metropolitan Region
• Cassie Munro – teacher, Ferny Grove Branch/Metropolitan Region
• Amanda Power – teacher, Port Curtis Branch/Central QLD Region (First Nations representative)
• Nick Shirley – principal, Pine Rivers North Branch/North Coast Region
• Scott Tibaldi – TAFE representative
   

*currently on leave

Kate Ruttiman
​​​​​​​General Secretary

 Authorised by Kate Ruttiman, General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union
21 Graham Street, Milton, QLD, Australia, 4064