Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A., 1 West Street, West Perth WA. Printed by Vanguard Press, 26 John Street, Northbridge WA. March 2025.
Cover: Access your rights, entitlements and conditions in a handy, searchable compilation. Find the new Red eBook at
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Time has come for getting it done
By Matt Jarman President
One of the SSTUWA’s key strategic aims when commissioning the Facing the Facts review was to prompt greater debate about public education; to ensure politicians understood its importance and the community’s support for public schools.
For far too long, public education was a footnote in public debate.
We were keenly aware that pretty much every election post-mortem, state or federal, cited education as a key issue for voters. The puzzling thing was that education barely featured in actual election campaigns.
It seemed a strange contradiction that public education – something impacting directly on the families of nearly half a million students in Western Australia alone – so rarely featured when parties were seeking government.
That needs to change. I am delighted to say that Facing the Facts delivered that change. One of WA’s leading media outlets in January declared that this was an education election. All parties were suddenly making serious pledges to boost public education.
The SSTUWA delivered to all parties a list of what public education needed to thrive. Many of the items on that list have been ticked off.
The re-elected Labor government has promised an infrastructure fund of $286 million, including provision for new air conditioners in 45 schools – the start of a process for every public school.
There has also been a $104 million commitment to construct more than 100 additional two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom GROH homes in regional WA.
TAFE has been promised $68 million for upgrades and new equipment and $58 million for courses focused on construction.
It would be churlish not to welcome those promises and we will work alongside the state government to ensure they are delivered.
A trial of free full-time, school-based Kindy for four-year-olds in 10 schools is also on the way, with the SSTUWA publicly stating the importance of being part of this trial’s development.
However, this is just the beginning. There has been an awful habit in WA over many years of always focusing on infrastructure, with far too little attention paid to people.
The SSTUWA has earned some significant wins for members through the 2023 General Agreement process.
We’ve seen pay rises of nine per cent thus far, with more to come. We have established the Workload Ministerial Taskforce. We have secured a shift from local to district allowances delivering thousands of dollars a year extra to many regional educators.
The process for senior teachers reducing their workload and getting proper recompense is well underway. Many members are anticipating the chance to have a safety net of guaranteed return while they try being a Level 3.3 Classroom Teacher or a principal in the regions.
Class size reduction is well and truly on the government’s radar.
We have seen further success in ensuring public education was a key issue in the state election. Working with the AEU we have also had a major breakthrough with the federal government on school funding.
Now it is time to ensure we put people first.
We need to work with the department and government to address the multiple issues raised in the state’s own agency review.
We especially need to make this a people-first process.
Let’s remove the complications for educators; let’s get back to basics so teachers can teach and leaders can lead.
Let’s strip away the myths of independent public schools and deliver real autonomy in the areas that truly matter at a school level.
Let’s restore the respect teachers, school leaders and the profession deserves.
Above all, let’s include teachers and leaders in the discussions about the system and directives which impacts, above all else, on them and their workplaces.
If employers respect teachers enough to take their expertise on board, then the community will follow that example.
The SSTUWA knows that involving frontline staff in shaping policy actually works because that is the way we developed our own strategy – one which has delivered a multitude of wins in the General Agreement process, as well as Facing the Facts, which is now a road map for fixing public education.
I am hopeful that under new leadership the department has recognised that the shortfalls listed first in Facing the Facts, then in the department’s own red tape report and ultimately in the agency review need urgent action, not the procrastination the old department was criticised for in that agency review.
We know what the problems are. We have identified many of the solutions. Let’s get this done.
Time to reap EBA awards
By Natalie Blewitt Senior Vice President
After lengthy negotiations, three offers, continuous member involvement and stop work events across the state, the Schools General Agreement was registered on 4 November 2024. But registration of a new Agreement is only part of the job.
SSTUWA senior officers have been working with all parties to ensure the improvements secured during negotiations are applied. Implementation arrangements are agreed to at meetings of the Employee Relations Executive Committee (EREC).
Often, discussions for items require multiple meetings and can involve smaller working groups refining the details prior to finalisation at EREC.
Here is a breakdown of how we are progressing.
Salary
The 2023 salary increase of five per cent was effective from the date the General Agreement was lodged with the WA Industrial Relations Commission. That
meant that eligible staff received this pay in October 2024.
The 2024 salary increase of four per cent became effective from 6 December 2024 and the final three per cent salary increase for this Agreement will be effective from 6 December 2025.
The work of teaching and leading
The following list refers to items under the work of teaching and leading that have been completed:
• Changes to the class sizes clause (improvements to clause 12).
• Teacher observation as part of teacher performance management.
• Professional learning (improvements to clause 59).
• Online professional learning (new item in clause 29).
• Internal relief rates.
• Casual rates for school psychologists.
Student documented plans, a new clause included in the General Agreement, provides greater clarity around where plans are required and, more importantly, when they are not required.
Conversations between the parties have commenced around the development of an agreed template for student documented plans.
Meetings of the Workload Ministerial Taskforce have commenced. This important General Agreement outcome is now well underway with the first progress report to the Minister for Education being finalised. Members will be updated with Taskforce outcomes when available.
Other initiatives that have or are due to commence implementation discussions include:
• Complex behaviour management (192 schools).
• Small group tuition (13,000 students).
• New starters professional learning.
• School leader performance management.
• Workload reduction review of Principal Professional Review.
System support
District high school (DHS) funding and principal reclassification changes, (including agricultural principals at Level 6, DHS principals at Level 5, Level 3.5 and Level 3.6 introduced for Level 3 principals) have been implemented.
The graduate allowance has been increased to $2,000 per annum, up from $1,600. Eligible 2024 employees received a top up payment in late January.
Implementation discussions have commenced for the Level 3.3 Classroom
Teacher trial, with meetings being held to identify which schools will be invited to participate.
It is anticipated this trial will be commencing from Semester 2 this year. Existing Level 3 Classroom Teachers are encouraged to monitor communications from the Department of Education (DoE) and the SSTUWA where information about how to apply will be publicised.
Attraction and retention
The following list refers to items under attraction and retention that have been completed and delivered:
• Long service leave (LSL) – access to pro rata LSL during the first accrual period after completion of seven years of continuous service; five days of LSL credit to be carried over until next entitlement of LSL accrual.
• Staff placement trial for teachers and school leaders for regional positions.
• Vacation travel concessions for eligible employees in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields.
• Extended air conditioning subsidy for eligible employees.
Commencing from the date of registration, locality allowance and country incentive allowance was replaced and aligned to district allowance.
Following discussions with the DoE, district allowance has been brought from the end of Term 1 and is now expected to be delivered to eligible staff from Week 6.
The creation of Senior Teacher Level 2 (ST2) is a recognised workload reduction initiative, agreed to by the DoE to keep experienced teachers in our system and in our classrooms.
With approximately 7,200 senior teachers eligible to be reclassified to ST2, a bulk
process was necessary, and this occurred from 21 February.
Once this process has been completed, eligible STs will receive a pay increase, back pay to 4 November 2024 and be reclassified as ST2. It is anticipated this process will be finalised in the coming weeks.
Safety culture in schools and general Issues
The work health and safety item will remain an ongoing one as we continue to work with the DoE to implement the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, including the implementation of the three Codes of Practice associated with psychosocial health and safety.
Union rep time has been formally added to the Award and the School Psychologist Branch has been recognised as a “school”, ensuring union representative time entitlement.
This schedule has been in place for some time as industrial relations advice for schools but has now been incorporated into the Award to remove any potential confusion on the entitlement.
Right of return for school leaders, including collegiate principals who are appointed to a system level position, has also been implemented.
Implementation discussions are underway for part-time principal arrangements and the review of the School of Isolated and Distance Education will continue in consultation with the SSTUWA.
Public sector standards
All new leave entitlements or changes to existing leave conditions are either fully implemented or will be by the end of Term 1. These include:
• Personal leave.
Details sought on kindy plan
The State School Teachers’ Union of WA looks forward to seeing the details of the state government’s proposal to undertake a trial providing full-time Kindy to Western Australian children.
The SSTUWA would welcome the opportunity to work with the Department
of Education to develop the details of the trial.
Kindy is an important step in preparing children for school, with a curriculum that integrates play delivered by specialist teachers, which studies have shown lays the foundation for positive social,
• Leave without pay.
• Compassionate leave for early pregnancy loss.
• Foster carer’s leave.
• Superannuation on unpaid parental leave.
• Parental leave.
• Emergency services leave.
• Defence Force Reserve leave.
• Bereavement leave.
As can be seen, a large portion of items you, our members, helped to secure are now in place or are well on their way.
Keep up-to-date through the SSTUWA implementation guide which is updated as items progress. Find it in the schools hub at sstuwa.org.au or at bit.ly/3QN7Soi
A reminder also the famous Red eBook is now available! Find all your rights, entitlements and conditions in this searchable compilation of the General Agreement 2023 (Schools), Teachers Award 1993 and exchange of letters. You can access it at sstuwa.org.au/redbook
However, if you would prefer a hard copy version, you can order your copy at the above web page.
physical, emotional and cognitive development in later years.
We would need to see the outcomes of the trial before forming a view on whether full-time Kindy is in the best interests of children.
Solidarity for global public education
By Sharmila Nagar Vice President
The recent AEU Federal Conference saw delegates hear and engage with our comrades from other education unions across the world.
As a unionist and activist, it always fills me with pride to know that the SSTUWA is part of the AEU’s international movement to defend and protect public education and make it accessible to all.
Education International (EI) represents over 33 million teachers and education support staff and has 375 member organisations from 180 countries and territories.
One of EI’s objectives is to promote free, quality, publicly funded education for every student in every country.
EI’s Go Public! Fund Education campaign shows how education unions from across the globe are coming together to build inclusive quality public education for all, which is a fundamental human right. To learn more about the campaign read the article at this end of this column.
Mugwena Maluleke (pictured above right) is the president of EI and the general secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU). He spoke to conference about some of the current issues facing education.
He stated how world leaders have failed this generation’s right to an education, instead prioritising on global military expenditure.
Most shockingly, over 220 million children in the world (often from war torn areas) require educational support and 70 million school aged children do not have access to school, due to displacement and conflict.
For all these children, educational settings and centres provide protection from physical danger such as abuse, exploitation and recruitment into armed groups.
They provide essential services such as school meals, safe water, healthcare and psychosocial support to help cope with the everyday traumas. To read more visit bit.ly/41iJEXS
In Sudan, less than 10 per cent of school aged children have access to education.
Another barrier to education is the climate crisis. This is no surprise to us in Australia as we see the impact of floods and bush fires on our community and also our schools.
As reported in UNICEF’s report, Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of ClimateRelated School Disruptions in 2024, approximately 242 million students in 85 countries or territories had their learning interrupted due to climate disasters. The report highlights other findings, too:
• At least one in seven students had their schooling disrupted due to climate hazards in 2024.
• Seventy-four per cent of the 242 million affected students are in low and lower-middle-income countries.
• South Asia was the most affected region in 2024, with 128 million students affected by climate-related school disruptions. East Asia and the
Photo: AEU Federal/Facebook
Pacific region followed, impacting 50 million students.
• In 2024, heatwaves were the most significant climate hazard worldwide to disrupt schooling, affecting an estimated 171 million students.
• April saw the highest global climaterelated school disruptions, with heatwave as the leading hazard, affecting at least 118 million children in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, the Philippines and Thailand.
• September recorded the most frequent climate-related school disruptions. At a time of year when schools reopen in many parts of the world, at least 18 countries suspended classes. Typhoon Yagi affected 16 million children in East Asia and the Pacific, making it the top hazard in September.
• In Africa, while over 107 million children are already out of school, climate-related disruptions in 2024 have put an additional 20 million children at risk of dropping out.
Already in 2025, WA has been hit by cyclones and heavy floods that has resulted in several schools being closed.
Mr Mulaleke described the greatest crisis facing education today is the global teacher shortage.
Currently there are 44 million teachers needed across the globe. We see many developed countries (including Australia) offer incentives to recruit international teachers to fill the teacher gap but that increases the shortage issue in their country.
For example, the United Kingdom’s heavy recruitment of Jamaican teachers has left a dire shortage of teachers in Jamaica.
Unfortunately, many teachers from Jamaica are working in UK’s Academy schools where they are earning less than their British colleagues and still being classified as an unqualified teacher.
EI’s commissioned report The Global Status of Teachers 2024 primarily draws on survey data from 204 senior union representatives across 121 countries.
The report focuses on issues that teachers are facing today and provides recommendations for action to attract and retain teachers for current and future generations of students.
Unsurprisingly, key findings and recommendations from the report include:
• The need to reduce excessive workloads and to redesign teacher roles to focus on teaching activities.
• Promoting teaching as a high-status profession.
• Offering competitive and attractive salaries for large class sizes.
• Promoting teacher wellbeing and mental health.
• Ensuring teachers work in safe and respectful environments, free from discrimination.
• Securing adequate public funding for public education.
• Enhancing consultations between unions and governments on critical education issues.
• Prioritising equitable distribution of educational resources to ensure all students have access to quality education.
• Providing opportunities for teachers to engage in high-quality professional learning.
None of this information is new to us at the SSTUWA.
In fact, a lot of these findings have been stated in the union’s commissioned Facing the Facts report, the Department of Education’s (DoE) independent report - Understanding and Reducing Workload of Teachers and Leaders in Western Australian Public Schools and the Agency Capability Review of the DoE.
As a union, we know our role is to continue tackling the issues that are driving our teachers out of the classrooms, and we hope that our recent General Agreement wins are a step in the right direction. This, alongside showing support and solidarity for public education globally is what makes us unique as a body of people and as a movement – it is what makes us union.
Urgent call for funding
Go Public! Fund Education is an urgent call for governments to invest in public education, a fundamental human right and public good, and to invest more in teachers, the single most important factor in achieving quality education.
This means guaranteeing labour rights and ensuring good working conditions, as well as manageable workloads and competitive salaries for teachers and education workers. It also means valuing teachers, respecting teachers, ensuring they are central to decision-making and trusting their pedagogical expertise.
Education unions around the world are joining forces to build inclusive, quality public education for all.
We are mobilising to fully fund public education systems and resist budget cuts, austerity and privatisation. We are working together across borders to guarantee every student’s right to have a well-supported, qualified teacher and a quality learning environment.
Let’s act together in solidarity to Go Public and fund education. For more information visit bit.ly/4hSJr4L
Photo: AEU Federal/Facebook
Facing the Facts about public school principalship
By Lindsay Hale School leader consultant
In case you missed it, the executive summary of the Department of Education Agency Capability Review was released late last year.
It is now available on the Public Sector Commission website. It offers some serious criticism and calls on the department to act in three key areas:
• Exercise its system leadership role to make explicit expectations on key policy and strategy matters.
• Respond to escalating complex student needs at a system and cross government level.
• Develop a deliberate, future focused workforce strategy to address significant attraction and retention issues.
When invited to do so the SSTUWA told the reviewers:
• Priorities for the whole department need to be reduced, focused and communicated.
• The role of the teacher and the school leader needs to be reviewed and reduced to core purpose as much as possible.
• Effort and expenditure need to be coherent and strategically aligned at all levels.
• What the increased workload is needs to be identified and where it is coming from.
• A concerted effort is required to address the teacher shortage and focus on the core business of public education.
• Progress needs to be monitored, major reforms such as IPS need to be evaluated for proper diligence alone and strategic decisions need to be evidence based.
• Department support services need to be more local, accessible and responsive to need and proactively aligned to change management.
• Quality assured and evidence-based teaching resources and professional learning need to be developed and provided by the department itself at no cost to schools with greater scrutiny applied to external, profitdriven providers.
The reviewers clearly heard us – and took Facing the Facts on board!
Teaching and school leadership has always been hard and demanding work, but the profession is now at breaking point.
It is not just about the sheer hours of work people undertake with diligence and dedication, but the growing complexity of the workload, the way the world has changed and the way kids and families have changed.
Everyone in schools is feeling it. For principals there is a unique burden –based on the combination of professional responsibility, ethical leadership and legislation – that commits them to simultaneously lead for their students, their staff, their school community and their boss and the system.
The massive turnover in the principalship over recent years tells the story.
In Facing the Facts, Dr Carmen Lawrence told us that teachers and school leaders feel undervalued, disrespected and insecure; the sheer volume of work is exacerbated by growing complexity. Burnout must be addressed, and system support is needed:
“The cumulative impact of frequent policy changes, including the increased isolation of schools generated by the IPS initiative, has steadily increased both the intensity and complexity of workloads, lowered morale, increased burnout and created an environment where teachers feel undervalued and disrespected. Many teachers, particularly in disadvantaged schools, are paying a high personal price for staying in the profession.”
In Understanding and Reducing the Workload of Teachers and Leaders, Robinson and Hamilton told us that the core work of teachers and school leaders has expanded, that expectations are out of hand.
Misunderstanding, fear and overconscientious compliance must be addressed and more system support is needed: “It is the cumulative impact and relentless nature of all the tasks and requirements that drives the problem of workload intensification.”
Over more than a decade, and under successive governments, principals have battled to lead their schools as the funding of public education has reduced and the fabric of many schools continues to unravel.
Policy change has been unrelenting and poorly supported. A culture of command and control has taken hold in the system.
Commercialisation has grown as schools desperately seek out resources and services, including professional learning, to meet the demands of the curriculum and student wellbeing.
Quality is variable, costs are prohibitive and teacher professionalism is reduced.
There is tension between those who seek to split the role of principal from all others who work in a public school and those of us who see school leadership and teaching as roles in one and the same profession.
“The profession is at breaking point and requires immediate steps to improve education delivery and morale”.
Facing the Facts: A Review of Public Education in Western Australia, p107.
Opening such a gate elsewhere around the world has led to non-qualified educators running schools or networks of schools, managerial types who relish the big title and soak themselves in selfimportance but don’t understand the needs of a classroom or have the skills to deliver an educational program.
At the same time, society has been changing; parenting is changing.
Mental health issues are growing, behaviours are becoming more aggressive and violent.
Harms driven by social media are growing, and cultures of both entitlement and complaint are rife in the community.
Many principals now feel more likely to be told what to do, less likely to be properly resourced and supported to do it and more likely to cop the blame (and the shame) when there is an issue.
So much for autonomy or independence!
Reform should lift a significant burden from principals and all the staff members they lead and care about.
The one strategic direction that is consistent for all schools everywhere is the curriculum itself, this is where collective efforts should be focused. Our focus must be on looking after the people who run and deliver in our schools.
The risks to students, teachers and principals and the profession itself are too great a risk to take, we simply must take big steps to look after our people.
Thankfully, the SSTUWA is here for all its members, including principals. Principals are part of the teaching profession.
There is no reason, as some may want to claim, that the interests of teachers, principals, and indeed other school leaders, should be in conflict or even competition.
It’s time to face the fact that we are one profession and only one union represents all of us and the needs of public education in WA.
Air conditioning upgrades for public schools welcomed
The State School Teachers’ Union of WA is thrilled by the state government’s announcement that it will replace evaporative air conditioners in WA public schools.
SSTUWA President Matt Jarman said the union had been campaigning for this action, including in the union’s state election position paper Facing facts: It’s time to fix education in Western Australia
“Make no mistake, this is not just an infrastructure issue, this will improve the
teaching and learning environments for thousands of staff and students and will have a direct effect on how kids perform in the classroom,” he said.
“The SSTUWA has been calling for a fully funded replacement program of evaporative air-conditioning units in classrooms to begin immediately.
“Evaporative air conditioners are noisy, inefficient and in far too many schools, are over 20 years old.
“Our members have told us they’ve
literally had crayons and glue sticks melting in their classrooms, along with over-heated students trying to listen to teachers above the roar of out-of-date air conditioners.
“The state government’s announcement is the outcome the state’s teachers, school leaders and students needed.”
Mr Jarman commended the state government for listening and making a decision which would benefit many public school children.
Meet the Growth Team
By Chloe Hosking Growth Team coordinator
Meet the 2025 team
The school year is off and racing and so are we. The Growth Team at the SSTUWA are here to help support new educators as you launch your teaching career. The 2025 Growth Team is made up of Growth Team coordinator Chloe Hosking (pictured left in photo) and Growth Team interns Ellie Aldred (pictured right in photo) and Simon Joachim (pictured middle in photo). You might have already bumped into us at a graduate module, during university orientation, or on one of our school visits. As well as the many benefits of union membership available to all SSTUWA members, the Growth Team provides additional support to early career teachers.
Stay in the loop
Every month, we send out the New Educator Network eNews, covering everything from teaching tips to union updates. Plus, join our private Facebook group: New Educator Network – WA. (To join scan the QR code at the end of this article.) You’ll be part of a network of over 1,000 early career teachers, and have professional and industrial advice – as well as teaching memes –delivered straight to your socials feed.
Get involved
We also help facilitate new educators to become more involved in the SSTUWA. Whether it’s joining a committee, participating in the State Council Guest Program, or coming along to an online or in-person event or training, there’s something for everyone. Keep an eye on the NEN eNews for upcoming opportunities.
We’d love to visit!
Fancy a chat over morning tea, lunch or even a quick catch-up before school?
The Growth Team is always ready to swing by with loads of info, resources and even some merch. If you have new educators at your school, give us a shout at neweducator@sstuwa.org.au to arrange a visit.
We’re excited to be part of your teaching journey and look forward to helping you thrive. Reach out!
Red eBook now available
The famous Red eBooks are available now for schools, with the TAFE book coming soon!
General
Environmentally sustainable
Find all your rights, entitlements and conditions in this handy, searchable compilation.
The famous Red eBooks are now available! Find all your rights, entitlements and conditions in this handy, searchable compilation.
PDF, eBook or app – you choose!
Available now for schools, with the TAFE book coming soon, the Red eBook can be accessed in both PDF and e-reader forms, on mobile, tablet and computer, as well as through the SSTUWA app. Both versions are fully searchable, so all the information you need is available at the tap of a button.
By prioritising use of the Red eBook, we’re saving thousands of sheets of paper and significantly reducing the amount of books that need to be posted. That’s a lot of trees saved, and we’re reducing our carbon footprint.
The Red eBook can be accessed in both PDF and e-reader formats on your device of choice, including mobile, tablet and computer, as well as through the SSTUWA app. Choose the options that work best for you!
Fully searchable
The Red eBook is linked and fully searchable, so all the information you need is available with a quick tap or a keyword search.
Accessing the eBook
Visit the Schools Hub or TAFE Hub on the SSTUWA website.
Type sstuwa.org.au/redbook into your browser.
Tap Know Your Rights (Schools) or Know Your Rights (TAFE) on the app.
Scan the QR code above.
Access the Red eBook
Learning resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education
We know many educators look for reliable curriculum resources when teaching on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. You can find excellent resources via Narragunnawali – a program that supports schools and early learning services to take action towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Narragunnawali online platform is free to access and provides practical ways to introduce meaningful reconciliation initiatives in the classroom, around the school and with the community. Through the Narragunnawali platform, schools and early learning services can develop a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), and teachers and educators can access professional learning and curriculum resources to support the implementation of reconciliation initiatives.
Further information is listed below on what is available. For the full resources, sign up to www.narragunnawali.org.au
Narragunnawali Curriculum Resources
Narragunnawali Curriculum Resources help you build practical activities and lessons, promote reconciliation and develop understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
They align with:
• The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
• Australian Curriculum (Versions 8.4 and 9).
• Reconciliation Action Plan Actions. Time spent engaging with the curriculum resources can be added to your elective professional development hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Narragunnawali Subject Guides
Narragunnawali Subject Guides are a foundation to build on and adapt for your local area and setting.
When using the information, you should:
• Consult with your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Critically evaluate resources.
Time spent engaging with these subject guides can be added to your elective professional development hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Narragunnawali Webinars and Workshops
Narragunnawali Webinars and Workshops are a great way to:
• Meet members of the Narragunnawali team.
• Hear stories from guest speakers.
• Get core insights around reconciliation in education.
Time spent engaging with webinars and workshops can be added to your elective professional development hours. Selected workshops offer endorsed accreditation hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Narragunnawali RAP Actions
Narragunnawali RAP Actions are the commitments schools and early learning services make in their Narragunnawali Reconciliation Action Plan.
RAP Actions are important for strengthening relationships, respect and opportunities:
• In the classroom.
• Around the school or service.
• And with the community.
Time spent engaging with the RAP Actions and connected resources can be added to your elective professional development hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Narragunnawali Reconciliation Toolkits
Whether you’re a school or service leader, teacher or educator, student, parent, carer or community member, your role is important within the reconciliation in education community of practice.
Narragunnawali Reconciliation Toolkits contain comprehensive guides and core resources to support conversations and reconciliation action.
Time spent engaging with the toolkits can be added to your elective professional development hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Narragunnawali Professional Learning resources
Narragunnawali Professional Learning resources build awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and contributions.
They align with:
• The National Quality Standard (early learning).
• The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (primary and secondary).
• Reconciliation Action Plan Actions.
Time spent engaging with the professional learning resources can be added to your elective professional development hours. Please check the professional development guidelines with the Teacher Accreditation Regulatory Body in your state or territory.
Government funding for private schools outpaces public schools
The release of the Productivity Commission Report on Government Services (ROGS) 2025 highlights the growing disparity in government funding between public and private schools.
“ROGS has shown once again that the gap in funding between public schools and private schools is increasing, with government spending in private schools outpacing government funding for public schools by 22 per cent over the last decade,” said AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe.
The data clearly shows the inequity that exists in school funding between the public and private sectors and reinforces the urgency of the current bilateral agreement negotiations between the Albanese Government and state and territory governments.
“Resources delayed are resources denied. For too long, public schools have carried the burden of resource shortages, and yet public schools educate the vast majority of students with the greatest need,” she said.
ROGS 2025 shows that private schools have received greater growth in real government investment than public schools over the last decade, in both total and per student funding.
The report found that:
• Over the last decade from 2012-13, total per student funding to public schools has increased by 24.5 per cent at an average of 2.45 per cent per year.
• Private school per student government funding has increased by 30.2 per cent over the last decade at an average of three per cent per
the public school increase.
• Combined state/territory and Commonwealth government funding to private schools has grown 22 per cent faster than it has for public schools.
Ms Haythorpe said that all governments have a fundamental responsibility to address the growing disparity in government funding between public and private schools.
ROGS highlights the importance of the Albanese Government’s recent commitment to public schools to deliver full and fair funding of 100 per cent of the
Resource Standard (SRS) by 2034.
“There must be bi-partisan support for full funding of public schools. We call on leader of the opposition, Peter Dutton, to declare the Coalition’s position and commit to support for all public schools to be fully funded at 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) by delivering a minimum 25 per cent from the Commonwealth,” Ms Haythorpe said.
“We urge all governments to work together in the negotiations for new bilateral agreements with clear timelines that ensure this much needed funding is in public schools as soon as possible.”
year – 1.22 times the rate of
Schooling
Celebrating one another in harmony
Harmony Day and Week is an annual event when Australians come together to celebrate the nation’s vibrant multicultural heritage.
Harmony Day falls on 21 March, and since 2003, WA has incorporated the day into Harmony Week, an extended celebration of multiculturalism that runs 15-21 March.
Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, while Harmony Week gives more time for Western Australians to consider the benefits of multiculturalism, including job creation, cultural richness and diversity.
According to 2021 Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), over half (55.6 per cent) of Western Australians had one or both parents who were born overseas and 75.2 per cent of respondents indicated a non-Australian ancestry.
Some other interesting ABS stats are:
• Australians identify with over 300 ancestries.
• Since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia.
• Apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi.
• More than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Australia.
“Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is at the heart of who we are. It makes Australia a great place to live,” according to the federal government’s Harmony Day website.
“An integrated multicultural Australia is an integral part of our national identity. All people who migrate to Australia bring with them some of their own cultural and religious traditions, as well as taking on many new traditions. Collectively, these traditions have enriched our nation.”
Harmony Day in Australia also coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, with 21 March being the date of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, in which South African police fired into a crowd demonstration against apartheid.
Orange is the colour of Harmony Day and Week. The colour is a traditional symbol of social communication and meaningful conversations and also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.
People can wear orange on Harmony Day to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.
In over 20 years more than 70,000 Harmony Day events have been held in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.
Australians are encouraged to organise their own local events or celebrations to mark the day in their schools, workplaces and other community groups such as sporting teams.
For a list of events, more information and additional resources on Harmony Day and Harmony Week visit harmony.gov.au and omi.wa.gov.au/events-and-training/ harmony-week
How compassion fatigue is harming Australia’s teachers
By Glenys Oberg
Teachers’ jobs involve more than just teaching the required curriculum. A significant part of their role includes providing emotional support to their students.
And with many students facing mental health challenges and experiencing trauma, meeting these emotional needs has become increasingly difficult.
My research investigates compassion fatigue among Australian teachers. This condition — which involves a reduced ability to empathise with others — can develop when people face ongoing emotional and psychological strain.
How is compassion fatigue impacting our teachers? And what can be done to address it?
What is compassion fatigue?
Compassion fatigue is a term for the physical, emotional and psychological impact of helping others who are under stress or experiencing trauma.
While this condition is commonly associated with healthcare workers, first responders and psychologists, teachers are also at risk.
Compassion fatigue involves two related conditions: burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
Burnout is characterised by emotional exhaustion, de-personalisation and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment.
Secondary traumatic stress mirrors symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It occurs when teachers hear about or witness their students’ trauma and begin to experience symptoms like emotional numbing,
intrusive thoughts or avoidance behaviours.
What is happening in Australian
schools?
Children with trauma and poor mental health make up a significant part of Australian classrooms.
A 2023 Australian Bureau of Statistics study found 38.8 per cent of 16-to-24year-olds had experienced a mental disorder within the last 12 months, an increase on previous studies.
That same year, a Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne survey revealed one in three children between eight and 13 experienced symptoms of a mental health problem.
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study also found 40 per cent of young Australians aged 16–24 had experienced more than one type of abuse, such as physical violence or neglect. Other research shows during 2019 and 2020
about three per cent of Australian children received child protection services.
Managing outbursts and trauma
This means teachers are regularly managing emotional and behavioural crises in classrooms. This might include student meltdowns, violent outbursts or other disruptive behaviours.
Teachers are also exposed to their students’ traumatic experiences while trying to provide support. Research shows these interactions significantly contribute to stress and anxiety among educators.
Australian research has highlighted how compassion fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress are significant factors pushing teachers out of the profession.
These issues don’t just impact teachers they also affect students. When teachers are highly stressed, research shows
students are more likely to behave poorly in the classroom and record lower academic performance.
My research
In early 2023, I surveyed 1,612 Australian teachers to understand how compassion fatigue affects their emotional wellbeing. I also conducted interviews with 57 teachers later in the year to gain deeper insights in a study, which is yet to be published.
Teachers in my study worked across the country, though most were from Queensland primary schools. More than 93 per cent of respondents were women.
I found 73.9 per cent of respondents had moderate-to-high levels of burnout when compared to the general population, while 71.5 per cent were exhibiting signs of secondary traumatic stress.
These results align with findings from other research. For example, a 2024 study on Victorian teachers reported similar rates.
While additional research is needed to fully understand the scope of this problem in different types of schools and different locations, these findings suggest compassion fatigue and related issues are affecting a significant proportion of Australian teachers.
Extreme and very real
Teachers who had compassion fatigue, spoke about how their emotional state was deeply influenced by the emotional needs and behaviours of their students. As one teacher told us: “The students that I am caring for at the moment are a very hard cohort. My compassion fatigue is extreme and very real at the moment. I am exhausted.”
Another teacher noted how they could gauge how the day would go, based on the mood of their students: “When they’re struggling, I find it hard to keep my own emotions in check.”
One teacher explained the difficulty of managing student behaviour while dealing with emotional exhaustion: “When behaviour blows up, which it does several times a day, I just don’t know if I have the energy to respond compassionately.”
It’s frustrating
Teachers described a tension between providing emotional support to students and needing to teach the required curriculum and meet administrative
responsibilities: “It’s frustrating knowing what the students need emotionally, but the curriculum and administrative demands don’t leave room for that kind of support.”
This also reflects a broader issue for teachers – who increasingly note how the pressure to constantly provide data about what they are doing limits their ability to focus on their students in general.
Impossible to switch off
Because of the intensity of the issues they encounter, teachers find it difficult to leave their work at work. As one interviewee told us: “The emotional load from school often follows me home. I find it hard to stop thinking about my students, even when I’m supposed to be relaxing.”
Some teachers also feel like they should not be relaxing (out-of-hours) when their students need help: “It’s hard to focus on self-care when I know my students are struggling. I feel guilty taking time for myself when I should be helping them.”
What can we do?
Supporting teachers who experience compassion fatigue requires a combination of three things.
1. Trauma-informed training: This can equip teachers with strategies to address trauma in their classrooms while also protecting their own mental health. Studies have shown trauma-informed
approaches can improve teacher resilience and reduce burnout.
2. Mental health support: Teachers should have access to counselling services and peer networks where they can share their experiences and receive guidance. Programs like “reflective circles”, which offer structured opportunities to process emotional challenges have been shown to be particularly effective in reducing stress and improving wellbeing for teachers.
3. Systemic changes: Schools can reduce workloads, offer better administrative support and recognise the emotional labour involved in teaching. Research shows these changes help teachers manage their stress and enhance “compassion satisfaction”. This is the opposite of compassion fatigue and is the rewarding feeling of making a difference in students’ lives.
Understanding the toll of compassion fatigue and supporting teachers’ wellbeing ensures they can continue providing essential care and guidance to students.
Glenys Oberg is a PhD candidate in education and trauma at The University of Queensland. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the AEU or SSTUWA. This article was first published on The Conversation website and has been reproduced here with permission.
Shaping new student stories about climate change
By Chenkai Chi and Susan Drake
The climate emergency has been recognised as a critical issue, with the United Nations emphasising the essential role of climate change education.
But what sort of education? Climate change is a complex problem that is so ambiguous and interconnected that it may seem impossible to address. Climate change education must go beyond scientific and environmental literacy, to engage with social, political, educational and economic dimensions of the problem.
In varied ways, our work has been concerned with new ways of thinking that involve the intersection of multiple disciplines, and ways of knowing in different cultures.
Author Chenkai Chi has explored how teachers from Canada and China can learn from each other to help students address challenges of our times, under the direction of education professors Shijing Xu and Michael Connelly, who study how people from different cultures can reciprocally learn from each other.
Susan Drake, co-author, has been concerned with how to build curriculum that holistically integrates different disciplinary concerns, and how education can shape a new story.
“Transdisciplinary thinking” involves moving into more interdisciplinary ways of thinking and teaching and is an intellectual disposition that prioritises combining forms of knowledge and making connections between themes and approaches.
Ellen Field, who researches policy and practice of climate change education in Canadian schooling at Lakehead University, highlights the importance of
transdisciplinary and holistic approaches to teaching climate change to students and people studying to become teachers.
Big questions to address complex problems
Educators can approach designing curriculum beginning with a big question like: “How can we address x problem and ensure sustainable wellbeing for individuals, societies and our planet?”
Although the breadth of this question may seem like overkill, this approach emphasises the crucial understanding that “the environment” is ultimately involved in other persistent complex problems, such as racism and poverty.
The Story Model is a transdisciplinary framework that one of the authors of this story, Susan Drake, developed with colleagues in 1992. This framework recognises that stories shape our assumptions and behaviours in powerful
ways and that humans have the power to choose stories that reflect collective positive values as a collaborative global community.
The Story Model framework begins with a big question designed to help students consider stories of the present and past, and a future story they wish to participate in. [To read more about the Story Model and view learning model diagrams visit bit.ly/3AZqYDw]
Designing interdisciplinary lessons
Teachers could use the Story Model to design a lesson drawing on transdisciplinary insights related to climate change.
1. Explore a topic, generate a big question.
Part of designing lessons for students begins with determining how to meet curricular accountability requirements.
For example, in Ontario Grade 11 and Grade 12 Canadian and World Studies (Economics, Geography, History, Law and Politics), groundwater is a topic.
One requirement states: “explain how human modification of the landscape” (like urban expansion, paving, river damming or diversion, deforestation, draining of wetlands or mining) affects natural systems, for example, changes in groundwater.
A big question could be: How does groundwater — water underground in spaces or cracks in soil, sand and rock — impact life below and above the surface?
2. Analyse different aspects of the present story.
Relying on the Story Model, consider personal narratives, cultural stories, global impacts and universal human values to understand a topic deeply. For example, students would have an opportunity to safely share personal narratives (where no one is put on the spot or asked to speak for a particular community) and this will yield different perspectives. Some students may have experiences with water contamination or conservation.
Considering cultural lenses could refer to educators finding ethical ways to represent perspectives that would otherwise be marginalised or absent from contemporary western public schooling.
For example, Indigenous communities in Canada have traditional stories and practices that emphasise the sacredness of water and the need to protect it from pollution and overuse.
Examining global impact could mean considering over-extraction of groundwater in different countries that leads to significant drops in water tables, affecting millions of people and agricultural productivity.
A universal lens points to values and beliefs that connect people across cultures, like survival, love, health and social belonging. Students could examine the imperative of having access to clear water and stewardship.
3. Identify the dominant old story and its values.
Students can analyse their topic by identifying interconnected categories like economy, politics and technology, to connecting strands in a web formation and understand connections and context.
With the big question “How does groundwater impact life below and above the surface?” students could consider how each interconnected respective category might address this question, as well as historical roots and persistent values.
Students could critically examine negative and positive dimensions of “old values” with regard to groundwater. For instance, the value of promoting industrial growth and economic development brought massive technological progress in the form of techniques for irrigation and water extraction that supported agricultural productivity and urban development, which has yielded economic development.
However, such practices have also led to undesirable environmental impacts, such as pollution and depleting groundwater resources.
There is an urgent need to reconcile seeming opposites and to balance both development and environmental preservation.
4. Create a new story.
Teachers and students envision future paths by projecting what could happen with a continuation of old stories or an idealised preferred story. They evaluate these stories, focusing on sustainable and just alternatives.
For example, students might explore traditional farming methods that contribute to over-extraction of groundwater and loss of biodiversity.
They could also explore a new story that envisions a shift to sustainable farming practices.
Such practices incorporate methods that reduce groundwater usage, maintain soil health and promote biodiversity.
5. Commit to my story.
Students develop a personal action plan to actualise a new story they wish to participate in, promoting sustainable practices and advocacy. They might commit to actions such as supporting activities and events to protect groundwater sources or bringing more awareness to conserving water in their daily lives.
This model transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. It encourages students to analyse current and historical narratives, envision sustainable futures and develop actionable plans.
This approach can be part of equipping students to address climate change as an urgent global challenge.
Chenkai Chi is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. Susan Drake is distinguished professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the AEU or SSTUWA. This article was first published on The Conversation website and has been reproduced here with permission.
Against all odds: union victory in Zimbabwe
By David Dzatsunga
How does a lecturers’ union influence legislative change and restore the status of its members in a toxic, polarised and polarising political environment? Through commitment, resilience and indomitable will.
This article chronicles the unlikely victory of the College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (COLAZ) that saw the Government of Zimbabwe enact a new law to address the terms and conditions of higher and further education teaching personnel and those of education support staff.
COLAZ organises in teachers, polytechnic, industrial and vocational colleges (excluding universities) and was formed in 2005 with a specific mandate to restore the status of college lecturers.
Why restore? In the early years of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, college lecturers’ salaries stood at 70 per cent of those of university professors with a lot of other comparable job-related benefits.
All that changed in the early 90s when the government undertook a job evaluation exercise underpinned by its intent to introduce the Patterson Grading System.
Consequently, college lecturers were placed at the same level as schoolteachers while university lecturers maintained their autonomous status, governed by university councils regulated by the State Universities Statutes while collectively bargaining under the Labour Act Chapter [28:01]
Meanwhile teaching personnel in tertiary colleges were lumped with teachers and nurses and the rest of the civil service under the Public Service Act [16:04]
The Public Service Act in its current form is a colonial piece of legislation that denies civil servants labour rights as prescribed in Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation.
Notably, the Public Service Act states that civil servants are not allowed to go on strike; they can only consult rather than collectively bargain.
In terms of disciplinary action, a member of the civil service must comply before appealing. The Act also provides for the setting up of the NJNC (National Joint Negotiation Council) wherein, in the event of a deadlock, arbitration can only happen if both the workers and the employer declare a deadlock.
Predictably, the government has never declared a deadlock, citing lack of capacity to pay every time. The government team of negotiators is composed of director level civil servants who have no decision-making powers and must routinely consult the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Finance. Often, when they take time out to consult, consultations go on for an inordinate amount of time and they implement their rejected offer without a signed agreement.
It is against this background that college lecturers met at Masvingo Teachers College in 2009 for an Extra-Ordinary Congress to resuscitate COLAZ, which had failed to take off after its formation in 2005.
Congress elected a new National Executive Board with David Dzatsunga as president. The mandate given to the National Executive Board was to restore the status of college lecturers to the pre-Patterson years where terms and conditions were comparable to those in universities.
The National Executive Board was to fight for the restoration of the 70 per cent of university salary principle and other terms and conditions from the past. There was also the matter of recruiting lecturers, most of whom were organised by teacher unions.
The union was directed to open its headquarters in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, and recruit union staff once
membership dues started flowing in. By 2011, the basic infrastructure was in place.
In 2011, COLAZ convened an annual conference that unleashed a tsunami of anti-union bashing by the government through the Ministry of Higher Education, particularly the Secretary of the Ministry.
The conference resolved to go on strike, despite a provision of the Public Service Act that clearly prohibited civil servants from engaging in strike action. Lecturers argued that it was an unjust law [and] we had no good reason to obey. At the time, all efforts to engage in social dialogue had been met with a wall of silence from the authorities.
Vocational training colleges in Zimbabwe are headed by famously corrupt principals who are politically appointed and enjoy impunity. After we served the strike notice to the Public Service Commission, the Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education summoned all college principals with instructions to bring two lecturers, one female, one male, who were not COLAZ members.
Dark clouds were ominously gathering. The system was galvanising to clamp down on the union. This was soon to be confirmed by the lecturers who attended the infamous meeting.
The secretary and the principals resolved to pull every stop to rid colleges of any COLAZ presence. Reports from meeting attendees spoke of an agitated and
determined group who were united in branding the union the enemy.
We knew at the time that Ministry officials and college principals were involved in a scheme, or rather scam, in which they were pocketing money out of so-called projects, such as hiring out of college facilities to the public, agricultural production and vehicle repairs among others, the proceeds of which they shared with the secretary, who had issued an enabling production and pricing policy to justify the looting.
The union had spoken against this, including through the media, hence the animosity. The union was hitting their bottom line and it had to go.
The strike action began in September 2011, paralysing all programs in most institutions. In no time, the empire struck back. Eager principals were instructed by the secretary to suspend all COLAZ leadership and to submit misconduct charges against the general membership who were not coming to work.
General union membership quickly retreated once the national and branch leadership was suspended, preferring to face the lesser evil of misconduct charges. It was a clear case of striking the shepherd to scatter the sheep.
Even the union president was not spared and it became clear that we indeed had no labour rights to speak of and that our struggle was much harder than we had
assumed. The brutal manner in which the strike was crushed shocked us.
There was not even the slightest attempt to discuss our cause. This was a moment of reckoning. The union had to agree to sink or find a means to swim.
Leadership was required. Money would be needed to hire competent lawyers and the union did not have much given the size of its membership.
This is part one of a two-part series. The next part will be published in a future issue of Western Teacher.
David Dzatsunga is the President of the College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (COLAZ) which represents lecturers in teachers’ colleges, polytechnic, industrial and vocational training colleges. He is also secretary general of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), the umbrella body for unions that organise in the public sector. David is a language lecturer, he holds a Special Honours degree in English and media studies from Great Zimbabwe University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history and a Graduate Certificate in education, both from the University of Zimbabwe. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of Education International (EI), the AEU or SSTUWA. This article was first published on the EI website and has been reproduced here with permission.
National education and union news
AEU welcomes ECEC guarantee
More of Australia’s youngest learners will get access to early education with the passing of the Albanese Government’s three-day guarantee of early childhood education and care (ECEC).
The Australian Education Union (AEU) has welcomed the passing of the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025 as a victory for families and children, as well as the early childhood teachers and educators that make it possible.
AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said that guaranteeing access to at least three days of care each week will benefit children in the most formative years of their lives.
“The passing of this bill is a major win for children, families and the teachers and educators who are at the heart of these services,” Ms Haythorpe said.
“Research consistently demonstrates that high-quality early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning, social development and emotional wellbeing.”
Ms Haythorpe said that for early childhood teachers and educators, the passage of this bill represents an important acknowledgment of the critical role they play in shaping the futures of Australia’s youngest learners and will ensure that all children will have access to consistent and quality education and care, which is vital for their development in the early years.
“AEU members have tirelessly campaigned for better provision of early childhood services in Australia and it is welcome news that the Albanese Government has recognised the importance of early education and the significant contributions that early childhood teachers and educators make to the development of every child,” she said.
“Early childhood teachers and educators are central to the success of this policy, and the AEU is committed to continuing its advocacy to ensure that early childhood education and care is properly funded and that the professionals who work in this sector are fairly compensated for their essential work.
“Ensuring fair pay, improved working conditions and professional development opportunities will be key to retaining and attracting skilled early childhood educators and teachers.
“Furthermore, we need two years of universal access to preschool delivered by a qualified teacher, for all children in the years before school. We call on the Albanese Government to make this commitment in the lead up to the federal election this year.”
New AI report calls for stronger rights and protections for workers
The ACTU welcomes recommendations to strengthen workplace rights outlined in the newly released report by the House Standing Committee’s Inquiry into the Digital Transformation of Workplaces.
The Committee’s report calls for stronger protections against intrusive employer surveillance, new worker consultation measures and improved rights for workers to control their own data, including banning employer use of high-risk data as well as the sale of personal data to third parties.
The report recognises the potential benefits of AI for workers but also highlights the risks of employers exploiting new technologies to undermine wages and conditions. Other recommendations include permitting greater transparency and ensuring clarity on employer liability for decisions made
with AI and automated decision-making tools.
With the federal election fast approaching, the report provides further evidence of the risks posed by the Coalition’s commitment to repeal workplace rights and protections.
The weakening of workplace protections risks empowering companies to undermine working people’s wages and conditions, especially in an increasingly digitised future.
Unions argue that worker-centric laws are necessary for AI to lift people’s living standards and allow productivity gains from new technologies to be shared more evenly.
ACTU Assistant Secretary Joseph Mitchell said the adoption of new technologies
should benefit all Australians, not just big business.
“The union movement wants the fair go protected in the age of AI, so we welcome the Albanese Government’s forwardthinking approach in this important space,” he said.
“The recommendations support a core principle of Australian Unions – that everyone should have a say over their wages and conditions at their workplace. We can’t risk our rights at work being stripped away by Peter Dutton, especially given the growing use and misuse of AI by powerful companies.
“Too often, we have seen AI used by multinational giants to undermine workers’ wages and conditions. Whether it’s workplace surveillance or using
algorithms to sack workers, bosses should be accountable for decisions made using AI models and tools.
“Workers deserve greater transparency over AI adoption and the collection of personal data by their bosses. There should be no decision about us without us.
“As the federal election approaches, it’s clear that our rights at work are at serious risk of being taken away. Employer groups argue that workers don’t deserve to be front and centre in AI decision-making in their workplace. These are the same big business lobbyists pushing Peter Dutton to scrap penalty rates and take away other workplace rights if he is elected. Australians can’t risk weaker workplace rights, especially in the age of AI.”
Cost-of-living boost for apprentices
Australian Unions welcome the Albanese Government’s announcement of a $10,000 wage bonus for apprentices to work in housing construction and clean energy.
The policy follows the release of the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System, which revealed that low wages were a key barrier to entry and completion of apprenticeships.
Starting July 1, 2025, eligible apprentices will receive five $2,000 payments, supplementing their wages, over the course of their apprenticeship.
The incentive payments aim to ease cost-of-living pressures, increase apprenticeship completion rates and build a long-term pipeline of skilled workers in housing construction and the clean energy industry.
The program will support the federal government’s plan to build 1.2 million homes in five years under the Homes for Australia initiative.
Eligible occupations will be determined in consultation with Jobs and Skills Australia and Jobs and Skills Councils.
Other measures announced include the extension of training support and hiring incentive payments, an increase in the Living Away From Home Allowance and a boost to wage subsidies for hiring more apprentices with a disability.
The plan builds on the federal government’s expansion of Free TAFE and the slashing of HECS debt for students. The investments in skills and training will help rebuild the VET sector following
a decade of cuts and neglect by the previous Coalition government.
ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien said: “Unions hear from apprentices across Australia that the biggest barrier holding them back are low wages. You can’t address cost-of-living without a plan for wages, and that’s why [the] announcement of a $10,000 wage bonus is so important.”
“Thousands of young Australians, especially in our outer suburbs and regions, make huge sacrifices to pursue
an apprenticeship so they can get ahead.
The $10,000 wage bonus will go a long way in easing their cost-of-living so they can build Australia’s future,” he said.
“The Albanese Government’s expansion of Free TAFE and their boosting of apprentice wages will help repair Australia’s skills and training sector after a decade of cuts and closures from Peter Dutton’s Coalition.
“Tradies finally have a government that is on their side and actually cares about investing in their future.”
Education & Training Centre
Industrial training opportunities for elected delegates in 2025
In 2025 all schools and TAFE elected branch delegates will be provided with a range of industrial training opportunities to choose from. Each elected delegate will have access to one delegate training event per year. Further delegate training events can then be attended in the consequent years. Regional delegates will be supported for travel and accommodation for one event each year.
Schools
Schools: Union representatives and deputy representatives events
1. Union Representative Training Level One: Schools (TUT).
2. Union Representative Training Level Two – Dispute Resolution and Negotiations: Schools (TUT).
3. Union Representative Training Level Two – Understanding Employment Law Frameworks for Schools (TUT).
Schools and TAFE: Women’s contact officer events
1. Women’s Contact Officer Training: Schools and TAFE (TUT).
2. Women in Leadership: The Glass Ceilings and Walls Online event through TLN via Zoom – 90-minute session funded by the SSTUWA for WCOs who have completed WCO Level One face-to-face training.
3. Union Representative Training Level Two – Understanding Employment Law Frameworks for Schools (TUT).
Schools: General membership events
Branch delegates from schools may also consider attending further training events also open to general membership at their own expense including:
• Know Your Rights – General Agreement Teams Sessions.
• Women’s Conference (TUT).
• Early Childhood Education Conference (TUT).
• Online professional learning events, eg Women in Leadership.
• Face-to-face professional events.
Work health and safety representatives events
• Education Specific Five-Day WHS Introductory Course for HSRs (first year of election).
• Education Specific One-Day WHS Refresher Course for HSRs: Level One (second year of election).
• Education Specific One-Day WHS Refresher Course for HSRs: Level Two (third year of election).
TAFE
TAFE representatives and deputy representatives events
1. TAFE Union Representative and Committee Delegates Training* (TUT).
2. WHS Training for TAFE Branch Delegates.
3. Understanding Employment Law Frameworks for TAFE Lecturers – General Membership and Branch Delegates. *SSTUWA TAFE Committee members invited to course one, above – one per year.
Online professional learning events Term 1
In partnership with Teacher Learning Network (TLN) Victoria
The SSTUWA is proud to continue to partner with Teacher Learning Network to offer a range of outstanding professional learning opportunities via Zoom. Join one of the following events and benefit from the experience of working and learning with teachers from around Australia. All events are live, 60 minutes in duration and facilitated by highly regarded educators with current classroom experience and a commitment to a range of contemporary topics. Register today: sstuwa.org.au/training
Live online events for Term 1
Self-Care for School Staff
Thursday 20 March 2-3pm
As educators we are committed to our craft and students, sometimes forgetting about ourselves. To provide the best for our students, we need to be physically and mentally healthy.
Lara Schendzielorz will explore a range of simple, but effective techniques that educators of all levels can use to care for themselves.
Supporting Students With Dyscalculia
Tuesday 15 April 11am-noon
Students with dyscalculia will encounter difficulties with maths and numeracy tasks. Not every student who experiences difficulty with maths or numeracy will have dyscalculia, but it is helpful to understand the condition and to make an informed decision about whether additional assistance is needed for the student. In this session, the presenter will outline typical indicators of student who are experiencing dyscalculia; some effective strategies for supporting students in the classroom.
20 March 3.30-4.30pm
This session equips teachers with strategies to help students critically analyse and engage with arguments in texts. Lisa Bahr will explore methods for breaking down persuasive techniques, identifying biases and evaluating evidence. These techniques support students to strengthen their analytical skills, engage in deeper discussions and develop their ability to construct wellsupported arguments.
Maths Starters and Brain Breaks for Secondary
Thursday 17 April 11am-noon
Maths starters are a great way to begin a lesson with energy and creativity, whilst brain breaks provide students and teachers with an opportunity to refresh and refocus.
Join Lisa Tolley as she shares some of the approaches she uses in her lower secondary maths classes.
27 March 2-3pm Thursday 27 March 3.30-4.30pm
Behaviour management is one of the more challenging issues teachers and schools face on a day-to-day basis; students who feel safe, supported, and connected are more likely to be active participants in their learning.
In this session, the presenter will explore how to setup and implement classroom structures that create an environment that is conducive to learning.
Improving Literacy Outcomes in Secondary Schools
Thursday 17 April 9-10am
Secondary schools benefit from a consistent approach to literacy improvement across all subject disciplines.
In this session, Laura Zinghini will work through approaches to promote literacy across the curriculum, including building essential vocabulary, explicit teaching to master complex writing tasks and developing the capacity to read the required texts in any subject.
High Impact Teaching Strategies are part of a repertoire of strategies that teachers can apply in their professional practice. In this session, David Innes will explore the strategies of Questioning and Feedback. When combined with his expertise in formative feedback, this promises to be a valuable session for teachers from all levels.
Member benefits
Accountants and Financial Advisers
Aston Accountants
10% discount on personal income tax returns for members.
sstuwa.org.au/aston
Industry Fund Services
Specialist financial products for union members.
sstuwa.org.au/ifs
LIFE Financial Planners
$1,200 off your statement of advice fee plus a free financial health check for members.
sstuwa.org.au/lifefinancial
TIPS Financial Services
$1,100 discount on your TIPS Transition to Retirement strategy or Retirement plan. Exclusive to members. sstuwa.org.au/tipsfs
Banking
ME Bank
Special offers throughout the year for members. A bank built by, and for, union members.
sstuwa.org.au/mebank
Mortgages, Money and Me
Complimentary advice, property reports, finance tools and more for SSTUWA members.
sstuwa.org.au/mmme
OFX Money Transfers
When it matters, OFX it. Save with the experts in international money transfers.
sstuwa.org.au/ofx
Teachers Mutual Bank
Banking exclusively for the education community.
sstuwa.org.au/tmbank
Massive discounts on products and services for SSTUWA members
Cars
AutoBahn
Mechanical and electrical services. Members receive 10% off any AutoBahn service or repair, capped at $100. sstuwa.org.au/autobahn
Bayswater Mazda
Exclusive offer including fuel card, servicing and more. sstuwa.org.au/bayswatermazda
Bob Jane T-Marts
National fleet pricing on a range of products and services. sstuwa.org.au/bobjane
easifleet
$250 Magic Hand Carwash voucher with any easifleet procured novated lease.
sstuwa.org.au/easifleet
Europcar
10% discount on vehicle hire in Australia. sstuwa.org.au/europcar
Paywise
Fleet Network is now Paywise. Package your next car and save on tax. Bonus gift with vehicle delivery. sstuwa.org.au/paywise
Western Motor Vehicle Consultants
We’ll find a car you’ll love. Save time and money when sourcing your next vehicle. sstuwa.org.au/westernmotors
Computers
Altronics
Build it yourself electronics centre. VIP trade discount in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/altronics
Apple on Campus
For details visit: sstuwa.org.au/apple
Dell
Save up to 5% off selected items. sstuwa.org.au/dell
HP Computers
Huge savings for members on laptops, accessories, printers and more. sstuwa.org.au/hp
PLE Computers
Save on your IT with access to the PLE Computers academic portal. sstuwa.org.au/ple
Educational Resources
Effective Group Work
Beyond Cooperative Learning. By Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/effectivegroupwork
Graphic Intelligence
Possibilities for Assessment and Instruction. By Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/graphicintelligence
Instructional Intelligence
Building Instructional Expertise for the Classroom. An SSTUWA project in collaboration with Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/instructionalintelligence
Teacher Superstore
5-10% discount, in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore
Entertainment
Movie tickets
Pre-order your movie tickets and save. sstuwa.org.au/movietickets
Outback Splash
Featuring both water and year-round attractions. Discounted tickets for members. sstuwa.org.au/outbacksplash
Rockface
Indoor rock climbing in Balcatta. $15 all day climbing pass with harness hire. sstuwa.org.au/rockface
For more information visit sstuwa.org.au/benefits and the benefits tab of the
Food and Wine
Campbells
Access wholesale prices with a complimentary day pass. sstuwa.org.au/campbells
Cellar d’Or
Best value winery tour in the Margaret River Region. 10% discount for members. sstuwa.org.au/cellardor
Taste Bud Tours
Swan Valley “Speed Grazing” – 20% discount. Good Food, Wine & Cider (am) or Good Food, Wine & Beer (pm). sstuwa.org.au/tastebudtours
Health and Wellbeing
St John
First aid saves lives. Discounted first aid courses and kits for members. sstuwa.org.au/stjohn
WA Opticians
20% discount on spectacle frames and lenses. Perth and East Perth. sstuwa.org.au/waopticians
Housing
Houspect
Buy, build and invest with confidence. $50 discount on prepurchase building inspections. sstuwa.org.au/houspect
Johns Building Supplies
Trade prices on paint and painters’ hardware. Builders prices on all other hardware lines. sstuwa.org.au/jbs
SkylightsWA
Specialising in skylights and roof ventilation, servicing all regions of WA. 7% discount off selected products. sstuwa.org.au/skylightswa
Wattyl
15% off Wattyl paints, stains and accessories at Wattyl Paint Centres in WA. sstuwa.org.au/wattyl
Insurance and Legal
Journey Cover insurance
For details visit: sstuwa.org.au/journeycover
SSTUWA Legal Services
Access to quality legal services for both work-related and personal matters. sstuwa.org.au/legal
Teachers Health Fund
Join the thousands of teachers who have already made the switch. sstuwa.org.au/teachershealth
Teachers Health – Travel
For Teachers Health members who are planning a trip away, Teachers Health travel insurance offers comprehensive cover at competitive rates. sstuwa.org.au/travelinsurance
Wills for members
Members can access a complimentary simple will, where appropriate. For more information or details about a complex will, visit: sstuwa.org.au/wills
Shopping
isubscribe
Up to an extra 10% off any print and digital magazine subscription; over 4,000 titles. sstuwa.org.au/isubscribe
Jackson’s Drawing Supplies
10% discount in Jackson’s 12 shops and online. sstuwa.org.au/jacksons
Petals Flowers & Gifts
20% off flowers and gifts. World-wide delivery available. sstuwa.org.au/petals
Teacher Superstore
5-10% discount, in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore
Union Shopper
Save on cost-of-living expenses with some of Australia’s biggest brands. Free access with your SSTUWA membership. sstuwa.org.au/unionshopper
Travel and Accommodation
Accor Hotels
Great savings for teachers at Accor Hotels in the Asia Pacific region. sstuwa.org.au/accorhotels
Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels welcomes SSTUWA members with exclusive rates at locations in Australia and NZ. sstuwa.org.au/choicehotels
Duxton Hotel Perth
15% off the best available rate for members. Five star accommodation in the Perth CBD. sstuwa.org.au/duxton
Experience Oz
Save 10% on over 3,000 experiences across Oz + NZ. sstuwa.org.au/experienceoz
Inn the Tuarts Guest Lodge
Forest retreat, 4-star, with indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and BBQ. Adults (12 years+) only. Five minutes to Busselton. Studios and rooms. 22.5% off rack rate or best available rate. sstuwa.org.au/innthetuarts
Jarrah Grove Forest Retreat
Luxurious, self-contained accommodation in Margaret River. Discounted rates for members. sstuwa.org.au/jarrahgrove
Mandurah Houseboats
10% discount on houseboat holidays. sstuwa.org.au/houseboats
Metro Hotel Perth City
15% discount on the best available rate. Located in East Perth near the WACA and Gloucester Park. sstuwa.org.au/metroperth
Rottnest ferry tickets
Save up to $15 on Rottnest ferry tickets with WestClub. sstuwa.org.au/rottnest
Classifieds
Augusta
3x1 spacious holiday rental. One double, one queen, five singles. 200m from the river and town. Magnificent river views. One large living area, three sided veranda and BBQ. Provide own linen and towels. $150 per night plus $50 cleaning fee. gregrowl@iinet.net.au
Dianella
2 bed granny flat (as new) located behind the main house. Private, quiet area with under main roof patio and adjoining small garden. Roadside parking. No pets. Suit mature person looking for long-term rent. $550/week (includes amenities). Available partly furnished if required. Call for further information or to view: 0404 098 302
Dunsborough (Quindalup)
Large 4x2 holiday home on Geographe Bay Rd. Swimming beach 30m away. Free use of private boat mooring. Room to park boats with boat ramp a minute away. Slow combustion wood heater and reverse-cycle air-con. Available all year except for leavers’ vacation. No pets. 0419 943 203 a_r_moore@bigpond.com
Dwellingup
Après Huit and Dwell Cottage provide luxury self-contained accommodation set in beautifully landscaped gardens. Can be rented separately or together. Après Huit: 2x2, main house. Dwell Cottage: 1x1, furnished in a French theme. Robert: 0419 954 079 dwellcottage.com.au
Dwellingup
In need of a tree change? Time out to reconnect with nature? Time for a vacation in Dwellingup’s Jarrah forest, 90 minutes from Perth. Chuditch Holiday Home is perfect for couples, groups and families. It’s centrally located and sleeps up to eight people. Shani: 0402 615 235 shanivore@hotmail.com
Frankland River
Private secluded retreat. Choose from three different types of separate accommodation. Three bedroom homestead: two king beds, two single beds – sleeps six (no pets). Two adults $195/night, children under 13 $25/night, extra adult guests $50/night. One bedroom chalet: one queen bed – sleeps two. $139/night, adults only. One bedroom cabin: one queen bed – sleeps two. $169/night, adults only. franklandriver.com.au
Jade: 0430 450 093 | Sam: 0413 160 093
Fremantle
Short term accommodation in central Fremantle. Recently refurbished with all conveniences for modern living. Townhouse has three queen-sized bedrooms plus provision for two singles. Enjoy time in the rear garden, complete with BBQ. Secure parking for two cars, access controlled by electric gates. 9430 4458 | 0407 083 174 info@westerley.com.au
Fremantle
Staycation? Attending a function? Cosmopolitan getaway? Fremantle is the place. Cafes, restaurants and breweries. Markets, beach, art galleries, museums, theatre, events, shopping, skate park, Ferris wheel, whale watching... What more could you want? Eco-Gallery Apartment is stylish, centrally located, sleeps three and has secure parking. (08) 6323 2339 admin@smartstaywa.com.au
Kallaroo
Serenity Escape is a 2x1 apartment with full kitchen, offering comfort and convenience. 20 min walk to beach, 5 min drive to train station, walking distance to Whitfords Brewing Co, cinema and shops. Toiletries, slippers and coffee machine provided. Min two nights. Sleeps four, or five with mattress. No pets. $125/night for 3 people; $10/night per extra person. Molly: 0428 166 559 mollysletters@gmail.com
Kalbarri
Clean, tidy, self-contained family-friendly 3x1 brick house at the top end of a quiet cul-de-sac. Sleeps eight: two x queen beds and two x bunk beds. Close to Blue Holes Beach, 15 min walk to town. kalbarriwa.net.au | 0435 845 504
Margaret River
Two bedrooms, private, comfortable, fully equipped stone cottage with fireplace, located amongst the forest opposite Boranup National Park, 17km south of Margaret River on Caves Road. Close to beaches, wineries, caves and galleries. $150 per night for two people, or provide own linen and towels for $120 per night. Russell: 0418 933 270
Nannup
Seraphim Retreat is a pet friendly 3x1 character farm cottage, five minutes from friendly Nannup. Set in acreage, with established gardens and stunning valley views. Air conditioned and wood heater. Horse riders can bring their horses to access our arena and trails. Teacher discount: $159 weekends, $149 midweek. See website for details.
seraphimretreatnannup.com SMS 0420 832 510
Safety Bay
Very clean and tidy, traditional style 3x1 duplex in Safety Bay. Fully furnished and equipped. One street from beach. Presently a minimum stay requirement (this may change).
cnjn@aapt.net.au
Trigg
Self contained accommodation. Kitchen, laundry, queen sized bed plus fold out double couch in lounge. Free WiFi and Netflix. Own entrance. Find us on Facebook.
Rammed earth cottage, 2x1, nestled amongst bushland. Well located, short walk to Studio Gallery Bistro, two-minute drive to Caves House. Beaches, galleries, wineries and restaurants close by. Sleeps six. No dogs. stayz.com.au (property 136151) Kirsty: 0419 927 660
Email 50 words or fewer to editor@sstuwa.org.au along with your union membership number. Free for members.
Classifieds
Tranquillity Counselling, Psychotherapy and Career Development
I provide holistic, confidential practical counselling to help you deal with an array of issues, some being: general relationship, mental health, anger issues/management, anxiety, depression, self-harm, grief and trauma, addiction, abuse, palliative care. Milica Robinson, MCnsig&Psychthpy, GradCertCareerDev, BEd. 0422 358 187
Retirement coach
Are you recently retired or retiring soon?
You probably have a financial plan in place but developing a plan for the non-financial side of retirement can be as important as preparing financially. I offer support and guidance for the transition from work to retirement, helping you to find purpose and meaning in retirement. Contact me to arrange an obligation free chat. retirementcoaching01@gmail.com
Marriage celebrant
Marriage celebrant with 12 years of experience, working in the Peel, South West and Perth areas. Specialising in creating personalised ceremonies for couples at their chosen wedding location. I’d love to help you plan your special day!
Meridith: 0400 312 535 meri.lake4@gmail.com
Marriage celebrant
Heart Centered Ceremonies for couples wanting a personalised wedding. Lee will help you design your dream wedding – a memorable occasion. Mention this ad to receive a discount.
Lee: 0404 655 567 leehalligancelebrant.com.au
Marriage celebrant
Experienced professional celebrant available, all areas. Formal or informal, large or small weddings. A Beautiful Ceremony will help you design an unforgettable and uniquely personal ceremony.
Mary: 0418 906 391 maryburke40@hotmail.com
Funeral celebrant
I am an experienced funeral celebrant. It will be my honour to assist you in the cocreation and presentation of a ceremony that serves to honour your loved one, by revealing their essence through a uniquely constructed and presented combination of spoken word, rituals, symbols, audio and visual displays.
0449 075 001
Kc.fcelebrant@gmail.com
First aid training for students
St John Ambulance WA offers free first aid training to all school aged students, ranging from Triple 000 Hero for Kindergarten students to Road Trauma First Aid for secondary school students. Courses are curriculum mapped. (08) 9334 1259 youth@stjohnambulance.com.au
Learn to social dance
Learn jive, waltz, rumba, samba, tango and other dances for social events (ball, wedding, cruise, etc). A fun and easy course with quality instruction. Join with or without a partner. Melville (LeisureFit) Recreation Centre. Mondays 7.30-9pm. $118/8 weeks. Beginners’ course held every term. Term 2 starts Monday 5 May. Stan: 9330 6737 | stan@stansdancing.com
Messines Bee Farm Incursions
Four bee/sustainability themed incursions for primary, K - 6. Play based, engaging, hands on, live bees, honey tasting. messines.com.au workshops@messines.com.au
Road safety education for schools
RAC offers free curriculum aligned road safety workshops and online resources for primary schools (pre-primary to Year 6) and secondary schools (Years 10 to 12), covering a range of road safety topics designed to keep young people safe on and around the roads.
Looking for a ready-to-use program for your health and physical education plan? The Heart Foundation’s five-week Jump Rope for Heart program is just what you need! This easy-to-run primary school program, supported by an online teacher portal full of helpful resources, makes incorporating skipping into your school’s activities a breeze. It inspires kids to move more, have fun and develop heart-healthy habits, all while raising funds to save Aussie hearts. Discover how you can support your students in becoming Heart Heroes at jumprope.org.au
MAWA
The Mathematical Association of Western Australia offers professional learning opportunities, conferences and consultancy services to teachers and schools and networks. MAWA members receive 10 per cent discount on MAWA shop resources. For more information: mawainc.org.au 9345 0388 | eo@mawainc.org.au
Macramé is the new yoga
I'm a teacher running small group macramé classes in a cosy home studio. Join me and discover the power of mindfulness as you learn to engage your mind and your hands in a fun supportive environment. It's a powerful way to calm a busy mind.
marcia@knotinlove.com.au
Rainbow Reading (New Heights)
Rainbow Reading supports struggling readers, including neurodiverse, delayed, or new English learners, without changing school programs, instead, adding to support. The Reading pen motivates, while activities help students catch up on missed reading and comprehension. Need support with group work or extra reading mileage? Rainbow Reading has effective solutions.
rainbowreading.com.au
Di: 0407 490 253
Noticeboard
Retired teachers
The next meeting of the Retired Teachers’ Association of the SSTUWA will be Wednesday 2 April at 10am at the SSTUWA premises. All retired members are welcome.
Stay in touch: Join the RTA Facebook Group – search “Retired Teachers’ Association of the SSTUWA”.
Schools Peace Education Program
From 10 May to 21 June, Perth is hosting a travelling exhibition called “Never Again: commemorating 80 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”
This free exhibition seeks to educate about peace and a future free from the threat of nuclear war.
A dedicated education program is available to schools.
National Close the Gap Day 2025
On 16 March, National Close the Gap Day, we have an opportunity to send our governments a clear message that Australians value health equality as a fundamental right for all. The aim is to bring people together to share information, and most importantly, to take meaningful action in support of achieving health equality for First Nations Peoples by 2032. Host an activity in your workplace, home, community or school. For activity ideas and more information visit closingthegap.gov.au
State Council Conference
June 2025 State Council Conference will be held on 13-14 June. Items must be received by 11 April.
November 2025 State Council Conference will be held on 14-15 November. Items must be received by 19 September.
The second round of nominations for delegates opened on 12 March and closes at 4.30pm, 31 March. The term of office is for a two-year period. More information is available at sstuwa.org.au/GO25
Where: Holmes à Court Gallery (10 Douglas Street, West Perth). When: Thursdays and Fridays 19 May13 June.
Session times: 10am-noon and 12:30-2:30pm. Running time: Gallery visit and activities take 1-1.5 hours. Suitable ages: Years 7-12. Cost: Free.
Contact: Leigh Dix on 0438 994 930 or leighandpeter@gmail.com or wa@mapw.org.au.
Trans Day of Visibility 31 March
Trans Day of Visibility is an annual international celebration of trans pride and awareness, recognising trans and gender diverse experiences and achievements. On 31 March celebrate with gender diverse people all around Australia by sharing stories, starting conversations and attending events. For more information visit tdov.org.au
