Wednesday, 6 March 2024

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:28): (449) My question is for the Minister for Skills and TAFE. According to the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union, TAFE teachers are working ‘excessive and unsustainable workloads, often involving significant unpaid overtime’. Minister, how many TAFE teachers are currently having to work unpaid overtime to meet their workloads?

The PRESIDENT: Before I put the question, once again the level of detail and also whether the positions that were put as facts were actually facts were the subject of rulings that have been made before. I will let the minister answer as she sees fit.

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:29): I thank the member for the question. I take it that the member is a fairly new member of the chamber. But the fact of the matter is –

Members interjecting.

Gayle TIERNEY: It is a fact, and the other fact is that industrial relations is within the scope of each individual TAFE. Indeed they are employees of the individual TAFE, so in terms of that sort of information, I am not privy to that. But can I say to the member, I have not received any information from teachers in respect of that, and beyond that can I say that there are negotiations currently afoot between the AEU and Victorian TAFE Association, and they will work their way through a range of issues. If what you say is true, then I am sure that is one of the issues on the table.

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:30): Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I am not saying it is true, it is the union saying it is true, so perhaps the inference is that they are lying. But the union has stated, additionally, across the TAFE sector, many departments are only able to continue offering some courses because existing teachers are working well above their contracted hours. Minister, what action is the government taking to compensate TAFE teachers working well above their contracted hours?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:30): Again, the member is repeating something from another area. I have no way of knowing whether it is true or partially true or whatever. It is a hypothetical question, and as I said, these are issues that I am sure are on the table in the negotiations that are currently underway between the VTA and the AEU. I am sure that they will deal with these issues in the most appropriate fashion. It is not appropriate for us to be having these discussions across the chamber, over the bench, when these industrial relations issues are being dealt with in the most appropriate way.