Tuesday, 28 July 2026

 Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (14:19): My question is to the new Premier. Premier, last week more than 30,000 teachers and education support staff brought Melbourne to a standstill because they are fed up of being undervalued by this Labor government. Victorian public school teachers are still the worst paid in the country. The Premier has just received a promotion after years of underpaying teachers and education support staff. Will he now appoint an education minister who will do what he failed to do and finally deliver teachers, support staff and schools the pay, conditions and funding that they deserve?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier, Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Medical Research) (14:19): I reject the premise of the question. This was the biggest deal ever offered to Victorian teachers, which would have made them the highest paid. Let me be very clear about this. This was $5 billion over four years into teachers’ wages and conditions that would have made them and the education support staff the highest paid in the nation. I want to say to our Victorian teachers that they are the best in Australia. Under those opposite we were 11 out of 20 in NAPLAN. We are now leading in 18 out of 20, and the credit belongs to our teachers.

 Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (14:20): Premier, in the last 48 hours, instead of working on giving teachers a fair deal or tackling the climate crisis, the cost-of-living crisis or the housing crisis, Labor have been fighting amongst themselves and plotting a leadership coup. The Liberals have had four leaders in the last five years, and the Labor leadership change has frankly been a circus. It is no wonder that Victorians are fed up with both major parties.

Anthony Carbines: On a point of order, Speaker, I am unclear as to how the supplementary question relates at all to the original question. Just throwing in the word ‘teacher’ does not make it relevant.

Ellen SANDELL: On the point of order, Speaker, I clearly referenced the teachers pay deal in my very first opening sentence.

The SPEAKER: I have the question in front of me. I allow the question.

Ellen SANDELL: The Liberals have had four leaders in the last five years, and Labor’s leadership change has been a circus. It is no wonder that Victorians are fed up with both major parties. Does the Premier accept that Victorians deserve better than politicians who spend more time fighting amongst themselves than fighting for Victorians?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier, Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Medical Research) (14:22): I know there has been a change with Moira Deeming on the other side, and I thank the member for Melbourne for highlighting that. Public education is the most powerful investment in our future. Victoria’s future is written in our classrooms. I will say this on education: it is going to be on the ballot paper come November, because on our side we make sure every child gets the opportunity they deserve. I did note too that Colleen Harkin, that well-known Liberal, cited their lack of interest in education as one of the reasons she resigned from their party. On our side we are delivering record investment in education.

Ellen Sandell: On a point of order, Speaker, answers are meant to be factual.

The SPEAKER: I assume that all members know that they have to be factual when they are on their feet.

Ben CARROLL: I will ensure that we support our teachers and the unsung heroes of our schools, the education support staff. As the son of someone who was an education support staff officer at Glenroy West, I know how important our public schools are.