Education Minister stands firm on wielding further cuts to unvaccinated staff
Education Minister Grace Grace has vowed to pursue and financially penalise Queensland teachers who refused Covid vaccinations.
Education Minister Grace Grace. (AAP Image/Darren England)
The minister told media in Cairns today that “99 per cent” of teachers and education staff followed the direction to get the Covid jab, and that those who refused had been given ample warning of disciplinary action to follow.
After allowing hundreds of state-employed, unvaccinated teachers to return to the classroom on June 30 following suspension from duties, the State Government will dock teachers one pay grade over 18 weeks.
Katter’s Australian Party MPs have called for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Grace to immediately intervene in the “demoralising and farcical” disciplinary action.
But Grace is showing little sign of bowing to pressure, recommitting her department to the disciplinary process.
Grace said other Australian states had chosen to sack unvaccinated teachers, a “drastic course of action” that she had rejected in favour of targeting the hip-pocket.
“There was always correspondence with them that there would be disciplinary action and now the department is operationally implementing that decision,” Grace said.
“My support is for the 99 per cent of teachers who did the right thing. If it wasn’t for the 99 per cent of staff who did the right thing then I don’t know where we would be.”
KAP Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter, whose party had argued against vaccine mandates, said the minister was exercising an ‘authoritarian’ type of governance.
“Comply or be kicked out, or in this case – pay up. This is not the Australian way,” he said.
KAP Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto described the action “poor form” and counter-productive amid a chronic teacher shortage.
“How can the government consciously dock hard working teachers 18 weeks’ pay and act like they’re doing them a favour?” Dametto said.
“On one hand we have a shortage of teachers yet on the other hand the government is punishing teachers that just want to return to work.”
Dametto said he had been approached by several teachers distressed by the department’s actions and that they had already suffered financial loss during suspensions of up to 12 months.
“Docking their pay over the next 18 weeks is just poor form. This government has missed a golden opportunity to move on in good faith,” he said.
