Dear Members,
Welcome back to school for 2025!
This year marks an exciting new chapter for education in the Northern Territory. For the first time in a long time, our classrooms are funded based on enrolment rather than attendance. It’s been a long road to get here, and many of us wondered if we’d ever see the day. While things aren’t perfect and many significant challenges remain, let’s take a moment to celebrate this hard-fought win.
Last week, we had the pleasure of meeting the new cohort of teachers recruited for 2025. It’s inspiring to see how investing in teacher salaries is already paying off, attracting talented and passionate educators to the NT. Now, our focus must shift to retention—supporting teachers with the resources, time, and safe working environments they need to thrive and continue delivering high-quality education to our students.
A couple of quick updates…
Alice and Katherine Retention Payments
We have been made aware that Term 4 2024 retention payments for teachers in Katherine and Alice Springs have been delayed. The Department of Corporate and Digital Development (DCDD) has advised us that these payments should be processed and included in the next pay cycle.
NTPS General Agreement Negotiations
This year will see negotiations for the NTPS General Agreement. This agreement covers the conditions of all Administrative Officers (AOs) and employees under the Professional Stream. While office staff and grounds staff are represented by the CPSU and United Workers Union respectively, AEU NT will advocate on behalf of VET Trainers, SESOs, SESAs, and other classroom-based support roles.
In the coming weeks, we’ll release a survey to collect input on the key issues you’d like addressed in these negotiations. Please encourage your colleagues, particularly SESAs, SESOs, and other support staff, to join the union so their voices are part of this critical process. The more members we have, the stronger our collective voice is at the bargaining table.
NTPS Educators EA Implementation
With negotiations for teacher conditions finalised we are meeting regularly with the Department of Education and Training (DET) to ensure that the hard-won improvements in the new EA are being delivered in full.
As part of this work, we have been updating the Teacher Responsibility Guide to align with the changes in the Enterprise Agreement. The new version is set to be released imminently, ensuring clarity and consistency for all educators.
If you have any questions or concerns about how the new agreement is being implemented at your school, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your sub-branch representative or organiser. Your feedback is vital in ensuring that every aspect of the agreement is rolled out effectively and equitably.
Finally
As we head into another busy year, let’s continue to work together to support one another and achieve the best outcomes for public education in the NT. Your passion and dedication are the foundation of everything we do, and it’s a privilege to represent such a committed and talented group of professionals.
Here’s to a successful year—and for our top end teachers—bring on that monsoon!
In solidarity,
Michelle Ayres
Branch President
Australian Education Union NT