Education workforce

MEMBERS STATEMENT - HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

I rise today to commend the member for Blaxland, the Minister for Education, on his getting on with the job and addressing some of our critical needs in teaching across this country. In my electorate, before the end of last year, Minister Clare joined me and the Victorian Minister for Education, Natalie Hutchins, at a local primary school, Tarneit P-9 College, with its principal, Anne-Maree Kliman. We hosted a roundtable of teachers and principals from across Victoria to discuss the consultation that had gone on around the country about the teacher shortage, about teacher quality and about elevating the teaching profession. I thank local principal Nadia for attending as network chair, representing all of my local principals.

On that day, we were faced with a shortage of 1,100 teachers in my electorate. I commend all of the principals who've done all the hard work, but in terms of elevating teaching, let me do my bit. What a fabulous, fabulous profession it is. Do yourself a favour; become a teacher. It's complex, it's difficult but it is the most rewarding job on the planet, aside from being elevated to the federal parliament, that is. Here's to all the teachers out there across the country doing it tough, and here's to their getting more support.