[Greens-Media] Stoner must insist Turner apologises to teachers

[John Kaye]

Stoner must insist Turner apologises to teachers
 
Media release: 6 November 2008
 
NSW National party MP Russell Turner should withdraw his attack on teachers and apologise, or his leader Andrew Stoner should discipline him, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Mr Turner is reported in the Orange media to have referred to sick leave, stress leave and training entitlements as 'overly generous' and accused Orange teachers of rorting the 'lurks and perks' of public education.
 
Dr Kaye said: "Russell Turner has defamed the entire workforce. He has belittled teachers and has denigrated them in the eyes of their students.
 
"He clearly has no understanding of the difficulty or importance of the task of education. Otherwise he would not refer to teachers' conditions as 'lurks and perks'.
 
"Russell Turner and his ilk are the reason why the National Party is looking down the barrel of electoral oblivion.
 
"The last thing parents want is their member of parliament badmouthing teachers.
 
"Most of the community will be outraged by a man whose face-to-face parliamentary duties run to less than 64 days a year attacking teachers who front up to classrooms for more than 287 days a year.
 
"No parent would want to deny teachers the ability to update their skills and knowledge.
 
"National Party Leader Andrew Stoner has worked hard to undo the image of his party as being anti-education and anti-teacher.
 
"He has been badly let down by Russell Turner.
 
"If Mr Stoner fails to extract a public apology to teachers from Russell Turner, then the community will know that the National Party is truly a dinosaur with little to offer rural and regional electorates. 
 
"The Nationals failed to win the Port Macquarie by-election precisely because voters do not want to be taken back to the past Mr Turner seems to live in," Dr Kaye said. 
 
Note: A report of Mr Turner's attacks on public sector teachers can be found at:
http://orange.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/mp-accuses-teachers-of-rorting-their-perks/1352016.aspx
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000