2026-06-11
The ACT Greens have once again backed striking educators in ACT public schools, saying that the Government’s failure to offer a fair pay deal is to blame for school closures and the resulting uncertainty for parents, carers and school students.
“The Greens are proud to stand in solidarity with ACT public school teachers, learning support assistants and all our public school workers as they have been forced to once again go on strike,” said Laura Nuttall MLA, ACT Greens Spokesperson for Education.
“We know workers don’t choose to go on strike lightly, especially those as passionate about their jobs as our educators. That these workers in public schools have voted to go on strike twice in as many months speaks to the failure of the ACT Government to offer a fair pay deal or address their working conditions in any meaningful way.
“The Public School Resourcing Review absolutely vindicated what public school workers have been telling us about their conditions. The Government agreed to all of the review’s recommendations, most in full, so why aren’t they now engaging with these claims in earnest?
“A pay rise in line with inflation is the absolute bare minimum to value our educators. We reiterate our call for the government to urgently come back to the table and offer a fair deal.
Schools will be closed all day today due to the Government’s failures to offer a fair pay deal. ACT Greens Industrial Relations Spokesperson Andrew Braddock is amongst the parents impacted by the closure.
“I fully support teachers taking industrial action to secure better working conditions, because teachers’ working conditions are our children’s learning conditions,” said Mr Braddock.
"After prolonged negotiations, the Labor Government has failed to reach an agreement with teachers, and now families and workplaces across the ACT will feel the consequences of that failure.
"Being an MLA is an important responsibility, particularly on sitting days, but my responsibilities as a parent must come first. For many families, finding alternative care arrangements at short notice is simply not practical, especially for single parents and parents of children with additional needs, as is my circumstance.
“The scale of this impact shows just how crucial educators are for families across the territory. The government must come to the table for the good of both these educators and families across the city,” said Mr Braddock.
ENDS