Fred

Mar 20, 08 - 10:33 PM

Carpenter's Lies

The following has been extracted a few pages of the of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007.

page 80

“INTRODUCTION
1. Education and training are a central focus of Labor governments…”;
Bullshit!

page 84

“12. Labor supports workers in primary schools by:
a) recognizing the need to increase the DOTT (duties other than teaching)
time of Primary Teachers to equal that of other teachers;”
Bullshit!

page 85

“14. Labor supports students in middle schools by:
f) working to ensure maximum class sizes of twenty-five,…”
Bullshit!

Page 86

“18. Labor supports secondary and upper schooling students by:
h) working toward maximum class sizes of twenty students;”
Bullshit!

I will be voting for an independent, who can keep these bastards honest, in the next state election.

Fred

Mar 20th, 2008 - 10:39 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

It's late. Sorry about the first paragraph above. It can now read:

The above had been extracted from a few pages of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007.

good night.

Primary POV

Mar 20th, 2008 - 10:46 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Fred,
This government has handed our fight for better wages and conditions to us on a plate. Sadly, the union is just not up to the task of getting us the best wages and conditions in the best circumstances we've ever been in.
I would mount a media campaign based on the Labor Party's 2007 Policy statement, with its focus on class sizes and equal primary DOTT. Add in the words of Alan Carpenter when he was opposition spokesman for education and we have a position that can't be disputed. Our union is letting us down big time.

Clifford Chapman

Mar 21st, 2008 - 6:02 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

It's amazing really Fred to read that. They trot it out, they lay claim to this high moral ground where they appear to be supportive of working people and supportive of equality in education for all so that none are really disadvantaged, and then, when asked to put their money where their mouth is, as Carpenter so abjectly proves, they show their lying and exploitative reality.

Charlie Myres

Mar 21st, 2008 - 7:51 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Clifford,
I think you really mean - when asked to put "our" money where their mouth is...

Great research Fred; these policy statements should be on large placards and placed by any teacher outside all Labor party members' offices.

Cheers Charlie

Clifford Chapman

Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:14 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Yes, well said, Charlie. And in fact your point well shows how little they really are concerned or bothered with improving education for state school students as there's actually nothing to stop them doing so.

Boxer

Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:52 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Well spotted Fred!

This litany of convenient and cynical lies starkly illustrates why it defies credulity that anyone would say "I would never vote Liberal, or, I would never vote Labor".

I'm surprised that anyone thinks that the incumbent pack of incompetent Labor shonks are any more teacher friendly than the Libs. The fact is that both sides will tell shameless porkies when it suits; that is the overwhelming lesson that we must learn.

If nothing else, our present stand-off with this duplicitous, dishonest and short sighted government will shake the scales from the eyes of the rusted on Labor voters. When we contrast the accidental premier’s soothing and supportive statements from the safety of the opposition benches with his acrimonious statements as minister and premier, we can see that we certainly don’t have an ally in Labor.

You can bet that the selection of the DG and other senior DET directors are very strongly politically influenced. When Labor staggered into power, the last competent DG, Peter Brown, was summarily turfed out and replaced with the inimitable Mr Alberts. Since his sacking we have been lumbered with the equally impressive Shazza. If anyone thinks that WA education has been well served by this bunch of political appointees, I’d be very surprised.

If you’re a dyed in the wool Labor or Liberal voter then those respective parties don't have to do anything to secure your vote; it's in the bag regardless. You are for all intents and purposes, irrelevant and of no consequence.

The only people that pollies have to court and fear are the swingers. Duh. As such, if you are ready and willing to punish either party for their policies or behaviour, you will be listened to and have some measure of influence.

The sooner that the SSTUWA shakes off its sycophantic and unhelpful left-leaning ways the better. It needs to become an industrial advocate and defender with no political affiliations. As such it will be a free agent with no political ties or obligations, and will go in boots and all to protect and advance teachers’ interests.

Clifford Chapman

Mar 21st, 2008 - 5:18 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

I echo every word of that posting, Boxer.

A plague on both their houses.

Smithers

Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:11 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Boxer

You must know by now that I love your work.

I was wondering though about your statement that Peter Brown was a good DG. Why do you think so? If I recall correctly, wasn't he in the throne while OBE was being rolled out complete with its army of true believers, the new salvation, full steam ahead, tonnes of useless glossy crap, under forthright Mr Grumpy?

I didn't see anything from Brown that helped change the situation. He seemed to be very low profile, lacking initiative, all smiles but who loved driving around in the department Fairlane Ghia.

Also you say:

The sooner that the SSTUWA shakes off its sycophantic and unhelpful left-leaning ways the better.

I think you could apply this to most public school teachers across Australia. Labor is no longer our advocate and haven't been for some time. The next signs of this will come from Rudd and Gillard.

Smithers

Boxer

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 5:00 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Smithers I recall Mr Brown saying that there needed to be a breathing space applied to the headlong gallop down the OBE path and that staff were fatigued /wary / overwhelmed by the hasty imposition of this radically new initiative. He didn’t seem to be quite as gushing about OBE and appeared to harbour significant reservations about its merit.

To me this signalled a change in attitude to the wonderful new OBE and gave a glimmer of hope that it may be jettisoned. Whether this was the case or not is purely academic because as soon as Labor assumed power they turfed Peter out and installed the pro-OBE, Curriculum Council head, Paul Alberts.

After Alberts assumed control I seem to recall that DET decided that professed allegiance, love and admiration for OBE would became an essential requirement for anyone considered for promotion. I recall significant funding being set aside to re-educate HOLAs so that they may speed up the implementation of OBE. In my district this entailed HOLAs being summoned to district office to be lectured about leadership by the incumbent district office management gurus and brains trust.

During Alberts’ forgettable reign I also remember the excruciatingly vacuous, banal and carefully stage managed jargon-fest MCJ sessions. They were a veritable orgy of glossy folders, PowerPoint presentations, weasel statements, glib reassurances; post it notes and unanswered questions. Unfortunately, after partaking in these particular orgies, one was left with a sense of frustration, anger and disillusionment.

Smithers I guess the reason I have fond memories of Peter Brown is that he had been a teacher, principal and district director, had a sound understanding of schools and would definitely have been capable of organising a piss-up in a brewery. At one function I walked up and said hello to him and somehow he already knew my name and had an intelligent and good humoured chat. This sort of common touch, wins big brownie points (no pun intended) with me.

Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I feel that a character like Peter Brown, grounded with significant experience in actually teaching and managing schools, would have given OBE the flick and saved significant amounts of money, heartache and educational collateral damage.

Fred

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 11:19 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Dear (the parliamentary representative for my electorate),

I am a government school teacher at (my school's name), and I am severely overloaded with work. I have been relying on the state government to come good on its education policy to help relieve teachers of the obscenity that is their current workload.

I draw your attention to extracts below from a few pages of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007.

1. page 80 of 214

...“INTRODUCTION
1. Education and training are a central focus of Labor governments…”;

2. page 84 of 214

“...12. Labor supports workers in primary schools by:
a) recognizing the need to increase the DOTT (duties other than teaching)
time of Primary Teachers to equal that of other teachers;...”

3. page 85 of 214

...“14. Labor supports students in middle schools by:
f) working to ensure maximum class sizes of twenty-five,…”

4. page 86 of 214

...“18. Labor supports secondary and upper schooling students by:
h) working toward maximum class sizes of twenty students;...”

It is obvious that the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party, now elected by Western Australians to serve them, doesn't seem to have made any effort to realise its commitment, embedded within its own policy, to reduce teachers' class sizes of students, let alone to increase the DOTT for primary teachers.

What can you do to ensure the Labor government in Western Australia fulfills its own promises, to Western Australian teachers, of a significant reduction in maximum class size numbers of students in primary and secondary schools, thereby reducing teachers' workloads to somewhat more manageable levels, and of an increase in DOTT time for primary school teachers?

Yours sincerely,

(my name)
(address)

Smithers

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 11:32 AM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Thanks for the detailed reply Boxer.

I won't hijack this thread any further by asking more questions.

This is Fred's thread.

Smithers

Not Me

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 1:23 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Hi Fred

Do you mind if I copy your letter and send it to my local member?

Happy Easter

I remember

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 5:50 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Fred,

You seem to miss the 'intent' versus 'will do' type statements.

"We support" ....but will we do?
"We promote" .... but will we do?
"Is a central focus" .... but so what...will we do?

Nowhere in the 2007 WA ALP Policy Platform statement is there a statement that, if elected, the ALP will do any of these things. At least the Rudd ALP group had the political courage to state in their 2007 election platform they WILL do certain things.

It now is more than 'it seems', that being the reality is more likely the WA ALP government is committed to 'SPIN' rather than commitment to achievement of implied pre-election policy.

Fred

Mar 22nd, 2008 - 7:12 PM

Re: Carpenter's Lies

Sure, "Not me"; it is also my intent for anyone to investigate and validate or refute my claims. So thank you, "I remember", for your point of view. Anyone may use any of my letters or their intent in whatever form one is comfortable with, especially if it is to further the industrial case for teachers in Western Australia.

"I remember",

as I understand, "to govern" means to make and administer one’s policies and affairs. You're wrong because you seem to have no idea of what "intent" is intended to mean here. To have “intent" means to be firmly fixed on carrying out something. Additionally, "...working towards" implies "will do" rather than an "intent". You and I know that the Labor government is not firmly fixed on making teachers' workloads any easier. Yet its policy platform says that it working towards to do so. When will that be, "I remember"? When it announces the date for the next state election??!
You and I both also know that a government with intent should be administering and implementing its policies in an expeditious and timely manner, otherwise its citizens are likely to revolt.

To its credit, what the Labor government has managed to do, through its DET, is not hide the fact that its teachers are not important enough to be alleviated of their obscene workloads. However, Labor has stated has stated from as late as the middle of last year that it supports its own intent to do so. Great. I now remember that we're almost near the end of March, 2008. So, what’s going on?!

Lastly, I DO admire your defense of your beloved ALP though, "I remember". You have political aspirations, don’t you? Or maybe you’re a lap dog-cum-watch dog for the party? Whatever the case, you may also use my letter, or better – its intent, should you have the urge. When you do, please ask your ALP what it was thinking when it made the policy statements that I take issue with, and when is it finally going to implement them with the action it should already have taken on teachers’ workloads?

Yours faithfully.

Author	Comment
Fred Mar 20, 08 - 10:33 PM	Carpenter's Lies The following has been extracted a few pages of the of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007. page 80 “INTRODUCTION 1. Education and training are a central focus of Labor governments…”; Bullshit! page 84 “12. Labor supports workers in primary schools by: a) recognizing the need to increase the DOTT (duties other than teaching) time of Primary Teachers to equal that of other teachers;” Bullshit! page 85 “14. Labor supports students in middle schools by: f) working to ensure maximum class sizes of twenty-five,…” Bullshit! Page 86 “18. Labor supports secondary and upper schooling students by: h) working toward maximum class sizes of twenty students;” Bullshit! I will be voting for an independent, who can keep these bastards honest, in the next state election.
Fred Mar 20th, 2008 - 10:39 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies It's late. Sorry about the first paragraph above. It can now read: The above had been extracted from a few pages of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007. good night.
Primary POV Mar 20th, 2008 - 10:46 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Fred, This government has handed our fight for better wages and conditions to us on a plate. Sadly, the union is just not up to the task of getting us the best wages and conditions in the best circumstances we've ever been in. I would mount a media campaign based on the Labor Party's 2007 Policy statement, with its focus on class sizes and equal primary DOTT. Add in the words of Alan Carpenter when he was opposition spokesman for education and we have a position that can't be disputed. Our union is letting us down big time.
Clifford Chapman Mar 21st, 2008 - 6:02 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies It's amazing really Fred to read that. They trot it out, they lay claim to this high moral ground where they appear to be supportive of working people and supportive of equality in education for all so that none are really disadvantaged, and then, when asked to put their money where their mouth is, as Carpenter so abjectly proves, they show their lying and exploitative reality. Email [optional]: cliffyboy43@hotmail.com
Charlie Myres Mar 21st, 2008 - 7:51 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Clifford, I think you really mean - when asked to put "our" money where their mouth is... Great research Fred; these policy statements should be on large placards and placed by any teacher outside all Labor party members' offices. Cheers Charlie
Clifford Chapman Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:14 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Yes, well said, Charlie. And in fact your point well shows how little they really are concerned or bothered with improving education for state school students as there's actually nothing to stop them doing so. Email [optional]: cliffyboy43@hotmail.com
Boxer Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:52 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Well spotted Fred! This litany of convenient and cynical lies starkly illustrates why it defies credulity that anyone would say "I would never vote Liberal, or, I would never vote Labor". I'm surprised that anyone thinks that the incumbent pack of incompetent Labor shonks are any more teacher friendly than the Libs. The fact is that both sides will tell shameless porkies when it suits; that is the overwhelming lesson that we must learn. If nothing else, our present stand-off with this duplicitous, dishonest and short sighted government will shake the scales from the eyes of the rusted on Labor voters. When we contrast the accidental premier’s soothing and supportive statements from the safety of the opposition benches with his acrimonious statements as minister and premier, we can see that we certainly don’t have an ally in Labor. You can bet that the selection of the DG and other senior DET directors are very strongly politically influenced. When Labor staggered into power, the last competent DG, Peter Brown, was summarily turfed out and replaced with the inimitable Mr Alberts. Since his sacking we have been lumbered with the equally impressive Shazza. If anyone thinks that WA education has been well served by this bunch of political appointees, I’d be very surprised. If you’re a dyed in the wool Labor or Liberal voter then those respective parties don't have to do anything to secure your vote; it's in the bag regardless. You are for all intents and purposes, irrelevant and of no consequence. The only people that pollies have to court and fear are the swingers. Duh. As such, if you are ready and willing to punish either party for their policies or behaviour, you will be listened to and have some measure of influence. The sooner that the SSTUWA shakes off its sycophantic and unhelpful left-leaning ways the better. It needs to become an industrial advocate and defender with no political affiliations. As such it will be a free agent with no political ties or obligations, and will go in boots and all to protect and advance teachers’ interests.
Clifford Chapman Mar 21st, 2008 - 5:18 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies I echo every word of that posting, Boxer. A plague on both their houses. Email [optional]: cliffyboy43@hotmail.com
Smithers Mar 21st, 2008 - 8:11 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Boxer You must know by now that I love your work. I was wondering though about your statement that Peter Brown was a good DG. Why do you think so? If I recall correctly, wasn't he in the throne while OBE was being rolled out complete with its army of true believers, the new salvation, full steam ahead, tonnes of useless glossy crap, under forthright Mr Grumpy? I didn't see anything from Brown that helped change the situation. He seemed to be very low profile, lacking initiative, all smiles but who loved driving around in the department Fairlane Ghia. Also you say: The sooner that the SSTUWA shakes off its sycophantic and unhelpful left-leaning ways the better. I think you could apply this to most public school teachers across Australia. Labor is no longer our advocate and haven't been for some time. The next signs of this will come from Rudd and Gillard. Smithers
Boxer Mar 22nd, 2008 - 5:00 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Smithers I recall Mr Brown saying that there needed to be a breathing space applied to the headlong gallop down the OBE path and that staff were fatigued /wary / overwhelmed by the hasty imposition of this radically new initiative. He didn’t seem to be quite as gushing about OBE and appeared to harbour significant reservations about its merit. To me this signalled a change in attitude to the wonderful new OBE and gave a glimmer of hope that it may be jettisoned. Whether this was the case or not is purely academic because as soon as Labor assumed power they turfed Peter out and installed the pro-OBE, Curriculum Council head, Paul Alberts. After Alberts assumed control I seem to recall that DET decided that professed allegiance, love and admiration for OBE would became an essential requirement for anyone considered for promotion. I recall significant funding being set aside to re-educate HOLAs so that they may speed up the implementation of OBE. In my district this entailed HOLAs being summoned to district office to be lectured about leadership by the incumbent district office management gurus and brains trust. During Alberts’ forgettable reign I also remember the excruciatingly vacuous, banal and carefully stage managed jargon-fest MCJ sessions. They were a veritable orgy of glossy folders, PowerPoint presentations, weasel statements, glib reassurances; post it notes and unanswered questions. Unfortunately, after partaking in these particular orgies, one was left with a sense of frustration, anger and disillusionment. Smithers I guess the reason I have fond memories of Peter Brown is that he had been a teacher, principal and district director, had a sound understanding of schools and would definitely have been capable of organising a piss-up in a brewery. At one function I walked up and said hello to him and somehow he already knew my name and had an intelligent and good humoured chat. This sort of common touch, wins big brownie points (no pun intended) with me. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I feel that a character like Peter Brown, grounded with significant experience in actually teaching and managing schools, would have given OBE the flick and saved significant amounts of money, heartache and educational collateral damage.
Fred Mar 22nd, 2008 - 11:19 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Dear (the parliamentary representative for my electorate), I am a government school teacher at (my school's name), and I am severely overloaded with work. I have been relying on the state government to come good on its education policy to help relieve teachers of the obscenity that is their current workload. I draw your attention to extracts below from a few pages of the Australian Labor Party’s policy platform, Western Australian Branch, as amended in June 2007. 1. page 80 of 214 ...“INTRODUCTION 1. Education and training are a central focus of Labor governments…”; 2. page 84 of 214 “...12. Labor supports workers in primary schools by: a) recognizing the need to increase the DOTT (duties other than teaching) time of Primary Teachers to equal that of other teachers;...” 3. page 85 of 214 ...“14. Labor supports students in middle schools by: f) working to ensure maximum class sizes of twenty-five,…” 4. page 86 of 214 ...“18. Labor supports secondary and upper schooling students by: h) working toward maximum class sizes of twenty students;...” It is obvious that the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party, now elected by Western Australians to serve them, doesn't seem to have made any effort to realise its commitment, embedded within its own policy, to reduce teachers' class sizes of students, let alone to increase the DOTT for primary teachers. What can you do to ensure the Labor government in Western Australia fulfills its own promises, to Western Australian teachers, of a significant reduction in maximum class size numbers of students in primary and secondary schools, thereby reducing teachers' workloads to somewhat more manageable levels, and of an increase in DOTT time for primary school teachers? Yours sincerely, (my name) (address)
Smithers Mar 22nd, 2008 - 11:32 AM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Thanks for the detailed reply Boxer. I won't hijack this thread any further by asking more questions. This is Fred's thread. Smithers
Not Me Mar 22nd, 2008 - 1:23 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Hi Fred Do you mind if I copy your letter and send it to my local member? Happy Easter
I remember Mar 22nd, 2008 - 5:50 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Fred, You seem to miss the 'intent' versus 'will do' type statements. "We support" ....but will we do? "We promote" .... but will we do? "Is a central focus" .... but so what...will we do? Nowhere in the 2007 WA ALP Policy Platform statement is there a statement that, if elected, the ALP will do any of these things. At least the Rudd ALP group had the political courage to state in their 2007 election platform they WILL do certain things. It now is more than 'it seems', that being the reality is more likely the WA ALP government is committed to 'SPIN' rather than commitment to achievement of implied pre-election policy.
Fred Mar 22nd, 2008 - 7:12 PM	Re: Carpenter's Lies Sure, "Not me"; it is also my intent for anyone to investigate and validate or refute my claims. So thank you, "I remember", for your point of view. Anyone may use any of my letters or their intent in whatever form one is comfortable with, especially if it is to further the industrial case for teachers in Western Australia. "I remember", as I understand, "to govern" means to make and administer one’s policies and affairs. You're wrong because you seem to have no idea of what "intent" is intended to mean here. To have “intent" means to be firmly fixed on carrying out something. Additionally, "...working towards" implies "will do" rather than an "intent". You and I know that the Labor government is not firmly fixed on making teachers' workloads any easier. Yet its policy platform says that it working towards to do so. When will that be, "I remember"? When it announces the date for the next state election??! You and I both also know that a government with intent should be administering and implementing its policies in an expeditious and timely manner, otherwise its citizens are likely to revolt. To its credit, what the Labor government has managed to do, through its DET, is not hide the fact that its teachers are not important enough to be alleviated of their obscene workloads. However, Labor has stated has stated from as late as the middle of last year that it supports its own intent to do so. Great. I now remember that we're almost near the end of March, 2008. So, what’s going on?! Lastly, I DO admire your defense of your beloved ALP though, "I remember". You have political aspirations, don’t you? Or maybe you’re a lap dog-cum-watch dog for the party? Whatever the case, you may also use my letter, or better – its intent, should you have the urge. When you do, please ask your ALP what it was thinking when it made the policy statements that I take issue with, and when is it finally going to implement them with the action it should already have taken on teachers’ workloads? Yours faithfully.