12 July 2002

The Government is at it again trying to give the public the impression that the secondary teachers' dispute is being resolved, says National Leader Bill English.

"All that has occurred is that Trevor Mallard has proposed to the PPTA a process of Alternative Dispute Resolution. The PPTA can't enter into arbitration without the vote from teachers.

"The PPTA has advised that the plan for industrial action, starting next week remains in place.

"Helen Clark and Labour are now beginning to panic and Trevor Mallard is under pressure to produce an impression of resolution, no matter what. It will probably take most of the next two weeks to get teachers to vote about whether to go into arbitration or any other dispute resolution process - the last time an 'urgent' vote was taken, it took two weeks.

"Labour will be desperate to hide their failure to provide education for nearly nearly 300,000 secondary school students by pushing this dispute past Election Day.

"National has produced an offer that is far better than anything this Government has come up with in 18 months. Parents and students are sick of the Government dragging this dispute out, and they will express this at the polls on Election Day," says Mr English.

Ends

© Scoop Media