Australian Education Union, Victorian Branch

newsEscalating campaign backedby roars of 15,000Bans on written reports, meetings and government data willaccompany rolling strikes next term..COM.AUNic Barnard AEU NewsTHE AEU will press for a single agreement forteachers, principals and education support staffas it embarks on rolling stop-works in Term 4.Fifteen thousand members filled Rod Laver Arenato the brim on September 5 in the biggest rally andmarch staged by the union.By the time members reached Parliament House,joined by striking staff from Catholic schools, ESmembers of United Voice and the CPSU and othersupporters, police estimated a crowd of 25,000.AEU members also rallied in Mildura, Portland,Horsham and other regional centres.ES members were loud and proud at Rod Laver,as they took industrial action for the first time. AnAEU survey released days earlier found that threequartersof ES find it hard to make ends meet.Unanimous save for a tiny handful of hardliners,the rally voted to pursue a region-by-region seriesof half-day strikes in Term 4, starting with TedBaillieu’s Hawthorn electorate on October 16.Cheers met plans to give only VELS progressionpoints in student reports, refuse to submit resultsto the department and later in Term 4 ban an hourof meetings each week. “Politicians repeatedly sayyou’re not doing a good enough job and ... want tointroduce performance pay and deny increments.We will not give them the data to use against us,”deputy president Meredith Peace said.If agreement is not reached, members will returnfor a third 24-hour strike on February 14, andrefuse to work beyond a 38-hour week from day 1of 2013. The latter won loud applause, but Peacewarned it would require discipline.“It means not taking part in camps, excursions,school productions, sports, the work you can’t finishin a normal working day, orientation events, parentinformation nights, parent barbecues.“You all have to be committed to participatingand working side-by-side together. When you votefor this resolution today you need to rememberwhat you are committing to.”◆Stopwork coverage: pages 14–21Mary signals end of eraAN ERA is ending with the announcement byVictorian branch president Mary Bluett andbranch secretary Brian Henderson that they willnot seek re-election.Bluett, president since 1997, and Henderson,secretary since 2005, have more than 60 years ofelected service to education unions between them.Both were elected to leadership positionsin 1981 in the Victorian Secondary Teachers’Association, and the pair married in 1995. Bluettbecame the VSTA’s first woman president in 1994,nine months before the merger that formed theAEU. She successfully led a unity team to power inthe 1997 ballot.Bluett goes out on a high after this month’srally. “This union has never been stronger,” shesaid.Elections for AEU leadership and council takeplace in October. Full details at www.aeuvic.asn.au/elections. ◆photo: Gavin FerrierAssisting AEU Members for over 30 yearsAdviceline Injury Lawyers can assist you – no win, no charge – with:• Work injury compensation – physical and psychological injury• Road and transport accident injury compensationwww.advicelineinjurylawyers.com.auAdviceline Injury Lawyers is a division of Holding Redlich• Medical negligence• Asbestos injuriesContact us directly on 9321 9988 or contact your AEU organiser for a referral.MelbourneGround Floor, 555 Bourke StreetMelbourne VIC 3000T +61 (0)3 9321 9988or 1300 MY INJURYSpringvale369 Springvale RoadSpringvale VIC 3171T +61 (0)3 9321 9886advice@alil.com.auwww.aeuvic.asn.au 5

newsHall made to runTAFE gauntletCampaign counters blatant misinformation by CoalitionMPs on TAFE cuts.Nic Barnard AEU NewsCOALITION MPs were made to walka “corridor of shame” betweenprotesters as they arrived at BendigoTAFE during a regional sitting ofParliament.About 150 protesters noisilygreeted upper house state MPswith chants of “Save our TAFE” asthey entered the TAFE for lunch onSeptember 6.In Ballarat, 200 people ralliedoutside the sitting of the lower house.Police fenced off the protestors wellaway from MPs — a move describedas “ridiculous” by AEU president MaryBluett and as “a new stockade” byNTEU secretary Colin Long.The twin protests against theBaillieu Government’s $300 millioncuts to TAFE followed a major rally inMelbourne in August.Institute “transition plans” due noware expected to lead to a new waveof redundancies and some TAFEs areasking staff to take on extra teachingloads. The AEU opposes the move.AEU TAFE vice president GregBarclay said Skills Minister Peter Hallwas among those made to run thegauntlet of protesters in Bendigo: “Helooked a very troubled man.”Coalition MPs are feeling thepressure of the campaign, which hasseen more than 24,000 emails sentvia the TAFE4All website and continualcoverage of the cuts in local media.MPs have sent misleading lettersand even placed paid adverts inregional papers. Both continue theCoalition furphy that spending onvocational education and training hasincreased and deliberately confuseTAFE funding with VET spending.As members quickly responded,the Government’s own figures showVET spending down by about $100m,while cuts to TAFE student supportand other services are concrete andquantifiable at $290m a year.The Coalition also fails to acknowledgethat private providers havecaused its budget blowout, often ontraining with no job prospects.Dodgy courses were last monthhighlighted on ABC TV’s 7:30 programand Greens MP Sue Pennicuik iscalling for a parliamentary inquiryinto training rorts amid widespreadconcerns that the Victorian standardswatchdog is not up to the job. ◆TAFE champions unveiledAddressing the rally at Ballarat UniversityTAFE4All has recruited high profile Victoriansincluding comedians Corinne Grant (right)and Tim Ferguson and musicians ClareBowditch and David Bridie to champion thecause of public education.The TAFE Champions initiative was launchedat the August TAFE rally along with our firstshort video competition, Why TAFE is Awesome.Ferguson — himself a TAFE teacher —was among speakers at the August rally. He told students and supporters:“It’s so important; as someone who came through the TAFE system wayback just before the Boer War — the thing this Government has to do isoffer training that’s affordable. It’s a no-brainer.”Writers Christos Tsiolkas and Toni Jordan, comedian Catherine Devenyand celebrity chef Teague Ezard are also among the champions who havesigned up.Corinne Grant told the campaign: “I grew up in a small town where manypeople gained TAFE qualifications. … Why would the State Governmentwant to destroy something that is at the very heart of country areas?”Ezard said he feared the changes to TAFE funding would affect thequality of training that many great chefs and industry leaders had receivedduring their own apprenticeships. ◆We are looking for 2–3 minute videos on the theme “Why TAFE is Awesome”,illustrating the value of TAFE for students and the community.You can submit a short video in any category on the theme“Why TAFE is Awesome”.First prize $1000; total prize pool $2000. Special prizefor one Victorian TAFE student: A two-week internship atMadman Entertainment.Closing date: October 29Full details: tafe4all.org.auWhy TAFE is awesome short video competitionwww.aeuvic.asn.au 7

newsWhen large classesare good newsHundreds of students shared a lesson in sustainability in a bid to enter the record books.Sian Watkins AEU NewsBERWICK Fields Primary Schoolis confident it has broken therecord for the world’s biggest energyefficiency lesson after 380 studentssat in the school’s gym to learnpractical ways to reduce their energyconsumption.The existing record is 250participants and photos and witnessstatements have since been sentto Guinness World Records’ Londonoffice for record verification. Another660 Berwick Fields students had thesame lesson but could not be countedbecause they couldn’t be squeezedinto the gym.The event involved more than adozen volunteer witnesses, timers,marshals and BBQ coordinators.Environment education teacherAdam Surmacz helped organise theevent. He said the school attemptedthe record to celebrate its size (1,050students), to mark the United NationsYear for Sustainable Energy, and asa way to engage parents and groupsoutside the school in its cause.The school got a sponsor for theevent (Red Energy) who chipped inwith BBQ supplies and beanies foreach student.A specialist teacher, Adam deliversa weekly environmental educationclass to preps and Grade 1/ 2classes, who participate in schoolgarden, Clean Up Australia andwetlands planting activities.The school focuses on minimisingwaste, recycling and makingsure that recycled materials arenot contaminated. Compost andrecycling monitors check class binsfor contaminates and present a “BinAction Award” to classes with goodwaste practices.In Grade 3, students can apply tobe animal carers or supervisors withresponsibility for cleaning tanks andfeeding a blue tongue lizard, Easternlong-necked turtle, guppies “thathave just had babies” and yabbies.Other students recycle shreddedoffice paper into cards that are soldto raise money for an animal shelter,as are worm castings.Students in Years 3–6 participatein a kitchen garden program once aweek.They might plant vegetables or asensory garden, propagate plants,plant food for school animals orcreate a weed killer from naturalproducts.Surmacz said successful schoolenvironment programs were usuallylinked to strong leadership supportand Berwick Fields’ principal StephenWigney “is very passionate about thisstuff”.Surmacz was one of about 45teachers in the school, including itsleadership team, who went on strikeon September 5. ◆First job WebsiteTHE ACTU’s workinformationwebsite for studentsnow includes aFacebook pagecalled Dr First Jobfacebook.com/drfirstjobDr First Jobbecause getting and keeping yourfirst job can be trickywhere students can ask questions and share their firstjob experiences.Dr First Job is aimed at 14-to-16-year-olds whoare starting or working in their first part-time jobs.The site discusses topics such as safety, unpaid trialwork, discrimination, pay, appearance, bullying andjob scams.The site explains that unpaid work trials are illegaland advises young people to keep copies of theiremployment agreements and pay slips to help ensurethey are paid properly.More than 1,300 students have already signed upto the page. Go to www.facebook.com/DrFirstJob.You can find more resources for students and youngworkers at www.worksite.actu.org.au/.◆Constitution resourcesnew classroom resource helps secondaryA schools tackle the topic of recognition forIndigenous Australia in the Constitution.You Me Unity, part of Reconciliation Australia,has produced Recognising Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander People in the Constitution:A School Learning Guide to illuminate thecurrent debate and provide historical context.At present the Constitution containssections that permit discrimination on the basisof race, and does not recognise Australia’sfirst peoples. The Gillard Government haspledged to change the Constitution and agovernment-appointed panel handed itsrecommendations to the PM in January.The resource connects to the AustralianCurriculum with information and case studiesaimed at Years 10–12.The kit can be downloaded at www.youmeunity.org.au/be-informed/diy-toolkit.◆Research seeksretired teachersRETIRED secondary teachers aresought for a La Trobe University studyinto classroom management and stress.Researcher and AEU member RaffaellaMarcon will investigate “what thoughts gothrough teachers’ minds before, duringand after using confronting classroomdiscipline techniques”. The researchwould inform PD programs and strategiesto help teachers minimise stress overstudent misbehaviour.About 50 retired teachers are soughtfor confidential interviews. The work ispart of La Trobe School of Education’swork with VicHealth on supportiveclassroom environments.For further details or to take part,email marcon.raffaella.l@edumail.vic.gov.au. ◆8 aeu news | september 2012

campaignTell Ted to keep his promiseThe AEU has launched a new campaign site forour EBA. Sign up at keepthepromise.com.auand tell Ted to honour his word.The site includes campaign news, leaflets andresources. Share with friends and colleagues,spread the word and help keep quality educators inVictoria.keepthepromise.com.auwww.aeuvic.asn.au 17

campaignWhat happens next?The September 5 meeting endorsed an escalationof action:PHOTO: MARK ADAMS, from his office window• Half-day stoppages throughout Term 4, pausing during VCE exams, with ralliesoutside the offices of Coalition politicians where possible.• Stoppages to take place region by region, starting with Premier Baillieu’s Hawthornelectorate on October 16, with strikes and rallies in Peter Hall and Martin Dixon’selectorates on key dates.• ES members to join existing bans and limitations.• No more than one hour a week of meetings (to begin later in Term 4).• New ban on reporting student achievement to the Education Department.• Reports to parents to include only VELS progression points, with no written commentsor data for each subject.Term 1, 2013• From day one next year, teachers amd ES staff will work only a 38-hour week.• Statewide strike and rally on February 14 to plan further action. ◆PortlandWhy I’m strikingLyse Carlson Kalinda Primary SchoolI’M NOT an activist particularly, or a “striker”, but on September 5 I joined theAEU against the Education Department’s ridiculous proposals. Proposals thathave already been trialled overseas, rioted against and rejected.It’s not about a pay rise. (No one becomes a teacher for the money in thefirst place.) It’s about not having 29-plus students in a class. It’s about learninghow to teach special needs children, children with ADD, ADHD, ASD, ODD, ESL,NLD, SALT, Angelman or Tourette Syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia,dyspraxia, dysphasia, auditory processing disorder or visual processingdisorder, in a mainstream school with limited support or resources.It’s about trying to care for students who may be sexually, physically orverbally abused, kids who come to school without breakfast, lunch, fruit, warmclothes, clean clothes, with lice-ridden hair and little sleep.It’s about knowing how to inject an EpiPen, or diagnose a broken limb, orcuddling a distressed child without being sued. It’s about teaching children thebasics that should have been taught by their parents, like being toilet trained,having social skills, manners, how to tie shoelaces or dress themselves andhow to open their own lunchboxes — all while differentiating an exciting andchallenging curriculum.It’s also about catering for gifted and talented students whose learning stylemay be any one of the seven or more identified multiple intelligences.It’s about performance-based pay being divisive, setting schools, teachersand parents against each other due to socio-economic discrimination, as thegap between the haves and the have-nots gets wider.It’s about the department devaluing those areas that cannot be measuredby data. It’s about a society that has become so stupid that conflicting andcontradictory rules, regulations, policies and processes bind us.Teachers strive to be lifelong learners themselves. They strive for excellencein their students. They are carers, mentors, shoulders to cry on, supportersand motivators.They work during some of their holidays and on their weekends and in theevenings, marking, commenting, planning, going to concerts, updating wikis andblogs, having parent–teacher interviews, working 24-hour shifts when on campand documenting every… single… thing.Instead of throwing money into more programs and a useless Ultranet,put an aide in every room and pay support staff what they deserve. If wewant change in our world, then we have to be the change that we want to see(thanks, Gandhi). We cannot afford to leave it to “someone else”.Like with every other government strike out there — police, nurses, ambos,firefighters — teachers are striking because the Government has absolutely noidea, not a clue, not the foggiest. ◆20 aeu news |september 2012

campaignPHOTO: GAVIN FERRIERIEU rallyMilduraCatholic teachers and support staff defied attempts by the CatholicEducation Office to prevent their industrial action, turning out in thethousands for a rally at the Royal Exhibition Building before marching toParliament where IEU VicTas secretary Deb James was greeted by AEUpresident Mary Bluett and deputy VP Erin Aulich (pictured).Fair Work Australia earlier had banned the unprotected action. Bluett notedacerbically that CEO director Stephen Elder was a Kennett government MP andlong-time cultural warrior. ◆PHOTO: DENIS EVANSRichard Morrison, Trafalgar High School, withhis children Eileen (6) and Zenna (3):I’m here to support the rights of teachers in anever-more antagonistic environment where theGovernment doesn’t respect what we do, doesn’tunderstand what we do and wants to turn usagainst each other with competitive pay.Allison Jenner, Sunbury Downs College:Baillieu has got it wrong. He’s going to destroypublic education and it’s going to be a two-tiersystem where if you can pay you get a decenteducation and if you can’t you take pot luck. It’s notgood enough — we live in Australia.Members seize Big IssueAEU members have a fan — “Adam 472”, a Big Issue seller who did aroaring trade thanks to generous teachers and support staff as theymarched from Rod Laver Arena to Spring Street.Twenty-four hours after the march, Adam appeared at the AEU office inAbbotsford with a Thank You card which he handed to receptionist JennyWoods with a cheery “Merci beaucoup”. Inside was a hand-written poem:Your members put my pockets in good steadDuring the protest against one-term Ted.Hoping the sea of red made him blue,And thanks to all who bought the Big Issue.Adam told Jenny: “It was a wonderful, wonderful day yesterday. Your memberswere so generous.”Big Issue sellers are homeless or marginalised and they keep half the $5cover price of each copy sold. The magazine was first launched in Londonas a way of highlighting homelessness while helping homeless people to helpthemselves get back on their feet. ◆PHOTO: AEU NEWSwww.aeuvic.asn.au 21

featureHuw Derwentsmith, Charlotte and EbonyPHOTOS: SIMON DALLINGERThe re-engagement partyVictoria’s schools struggle to cope with growing numbers of disengaged students.Can a $1 million pilot make a difference? Sian Watkins reports.WODONGA Senior Secondary College principalVern Hilditch nearly cried over breakfast lastmonth while reading Tony Abbott’s claim that it wasprivate schools, not government schools, that weredisadvantaged by the country’s funding system.“He has no, no idea of what we are dealingwith,” Hilditch says.Two years ago it was calculated that about230 primary and high school-aged children in theWodonga area were not enrolled in school. Thisyear, schools and agencies worked to get 124 ofthem enrolled and re-engaged in some form ofeducation.Severely disengaged children are usually underparentedor totally alienated from their parents,says Hilditch. “You need a youth worker becausethey need prescriptions and doctor appointmentsorganised; they don’t have lunch or a home theycan consistently return to sleep.”Government schools, alone in the schoolsystem, are expected to be places that all students,including the alienated and under-parented, wantto attend.To help them with this, there are policies,frameworks, templates and support from schoolnetworks and regional offices. If their efforts fail,there are more programs and policies to help themdeal with the disengaged and disengaging. Theseinclude student support service officers (such aspsychologists and speech therapists); primarywelfare officers (256 now with an extra 150 tocome); School Focused Youth Service coordinators,a Multi-service Intervention Response Team (in thewestern metro region) and links to regional welfareand support agencies.Students can also be referred to alternative❛Many have said they’d bedead if it wasn’t forthe program.❜schools or alternative settings, of which about 40exist for older secondary students. Alternative orre-engagement settings exist independently andsometimes within schools. Their funding is approvedand distributed by regional offices.But schools say there are insufficient programsfor the increasing number of disengaged students,long waiting lists, transport access problems andthat short-term placements are rarely a panacea.Another problem is a lack of programs forchildren under 15, who are too young to beenrolled in VET or VCAL and whose numbers aregrowing.Government schools’ obligations to engageall students have not been helped by big cuts tostudent wellbeing teams in regional offices, to VCALfunding and Education Maintenance Allowancepayments to schools, and the shifting of moreadministrative responsibilities onto principals.Now the State Government is inviting schoolsand community partners to bid for funding from a$1 million pool to run activities that will “enhance”the effectiveness of their alternative schoolprograms.The pilot, to start next year, is part of apromised “overhaul” of alternative education thathas also seen funding follow students as they moveto alternative settings, and new “practical guidelines”to allow alternative providers to work moreclosely with the Education Department.Details, however, remain scant, and how much a$1m pilot can deliver is an open question. The scaleof the challenge is found in Re-engaging our Kids,a 2009 report prepared for the State Governmentby KPMG.It concluded that funding and coordination ofalternative programs and settings were ad-hoc:“Each region has its own approach to managingeducation provision.” Regions had failed to accuratelyidentify the extent of youth disengagement,while the effectiveness of programs was “difficult todiscern” given they were rarely properly or consistentlyevaluated.The report found that working in alternativesettings was hard, undervalued and often required24 aeu news |september 2012

featureskills needed in adult education,social work or developmentalpsychology.Many schools felt they couldnot adequately meet the needs ofdisengaged students; they couldnot give them the attention theyneeded and teachers lacked thenecessary complex skills. Mostschools felt these students werebest catered for in alternativesettings, where they get moreattention, work in smaller groupsand have links to health and welfareassistance if needed.The number of “disengaged”students is unknown, partlybecause a child must be enrolledin a school for the EducationDepartment to know if they aredisengaged or not.A report prepared by MissionAustralia puts the figure atnearly 3000 Victorian primaryagechildren alone. The DEECD’s 2010 State ofVictoria’s Children report said that more than13%, or almost 50,000, 15–19 year olds werenot engaged full time in education, training oremployment.The Education Department produced a policydiscussion paper in 2010 in response to the KPMGreview but no formal statement followed.Hilditch says it’s difficult to evaluate the successof alternative education programs. “How do youmeasure it? All I know is that you need to preventkids burning their education bridges. I’d rather havethem hanging on by their toenails than not beingengaged at all.”Wodonga, with a senior high and two middleyears campuses, is involved with three alternativeprograms — one creative arts-based, the seconda flexible learning centre in the town centre andthe other a literacy outreach program for youngstudents often from residential care or referredfrom the juvenile justice system.Each campus also has a full time social worker,with the cost of one shared with a welfare agency.“They have great contacts and can apply far morepressure than we can to get services for kids,”Hilditch says.HighWater Theatre, the creative arts program,has 17 students aged 12–16. Histories of homelessnessand/or periods in foster care are common.“Many of these kids have significant mental healthissues and it takes special people to deal withthem,” Hilditch says.“At HighWater we’ve had kids who have nevergone to school, or who left at Grade 5. They haveenormous holes in their education. But they startsmall and get some confidence and some are nowdoing their VCE, some have got into nursing andsocial work. Many have said they’d be dead if itwasn’t for the program — they would have killedthemselves or overdosed.”Huw Derwentsmith runs Wodonga’s FlexibleLearning Centre, which targets students aged10–20. About 120 students are enrolled, someremotely, communicating by Skype, email, Facebookor by post. The 65 or so who attend work in onebig room, which is not ideal. It gets very noisy;“If someone comes in upset or angry it disruptseveryone and they all want to know what’s goingon.”Derwentsmith would like a better dataROLY Richardson is a teacher but his job is notto improve his students’ literacy or numeracy.His goal is to develop a relationship with themand their carers, learn why they can’t or won’tgo to school and help “build up their resilience”through social engagement and activities such asbuilding outdoor furniture.“We’re about finding a pathway for them backto school, whether it’s returning consistently ormaking a first step.”Richardson and case worker Narelle Denoitwork with about 40 school refusers aged 8–13from the Frankston North, Seaford and CarrumNathan, Huw Derwentsmith and Rorymanagement system to help himevaluate student learning andprogress. The centre delivers aVCAL program and his goal formany students is to reach Grade 6standard in literacy and numeracy.His job also includes ensuring thatagencies coordinate their care ofhis students.Rory is 16 and attends thecentre most days despite two longbus trips each way. He has beenkicked out of several schools butlikes the centre because “therearen’t too many kids” and hedoes not get bullied. He likes theone-on-one help and he likes andtrusts Huw, who sometimes buyshim lunch.He loves fishing and the sea andwants to work on fishing boats. Heknows he will need a forklift anddeckhand licence.Jackie is 18 and has a toddler.She didn’t like school; she hated it when otherslaughed at her when she put up her hand and askedfor help. She attends most days and aims for aCertificate IV in disability work.Hilditch says alternative programs tend to focuson young people in the high-risk category but morefocused help is needed for those showing warningsigns in schools, such as disruptive behaviour andirregular or declining attendance.“These kids get easily lost in mainstreamschools.” ◆“It’s always about buildingrelationships”In a Frankston scout hall, a teacher and a case workerhelp children build the confidence to return to school.Downs area who are referred by schools, parentsand welfare agencies. There are about 150 suchstudents in Frankston North alone.The two-year, $300,000 program, instigated byMission Australia and the department’s southernmetropolitan region, is funded by the WilliamBuckland Foundation.Richardson starts by visiting the child at home.“We go in, talk to the parents or guardians, talkabout what’s happening, what’s worked or hasn’tworked and call in appropriate agencies wherecontinued on page 26➠www.aeuvic.asn.au 25

feature➠ continued from page 25we need them.” The information he relays back toschools is “often very illuminating for them”.He works with the children in a scout hall inFrankston three days a week. Some parents “comedown to watch” and teachers pop in. “It’s alwaysabout building relationships and working in smallgroups.”He and Denoit have managed to get somestudents into school full-time or part-time, andothers out of their house to join a small groupwhere they can hopefully acquire the confidenceover time to believe they can go to school andsucceed.One young boy comes from a loving but highlydysfunctional family, with the parents heavy drugusers. “School was safe for him but he didn’t knowhow to behave — he knew no boundaries,” saysRichardson, who is on secondment from a highschool.“His primary school was very worried about himnot making it through Year 7. We found a schoolthat he would like that he could get to independently— he can’t rely on his mum and dad.”Richardson started by taking the boy to schoolonce a week and sitting with him in class. Sixmonths later the boy is attending full time. “He’snot perfect but he’s not coming up on the radar asoften. He loves school and he’s learning to modifyhis behaviour.PHOTO: MEREDITH O’SHEARoly Richardson“It was really important that we got to know hisparents. His father was in the army and loves toiron. That kid’s uniform is ironed perfectly everymorning — he felt great that Dad cared so much.”Richardson says school disengagement forchildren in residential care is a big problem. Theirneeds are often enormous and not always metwell by competing or poorly coordinated welfareservices.Alternative schools in the southern metropolitanregion include Oakwood School in NoblePark, established last year as a second campusof Caulfield Park Community School. Like manyother alternative settings, its staff negotiate flexiblelearning plans with each of its 100 or so students,focusing on their literacy and numeracy skills andpersonal and social development. Plans combineclass time, online learning, work and work placementsand VET studies. School staff work withagencies to ensure students’ other needs are met.Many of the students come from marginalisedfamilies, have drug, alcohol or mental healthproblems, or have been involved inthe juvenilejustice system.The region has also introduced a “flexiblelearning network” for those not in school butknown to mental health, child protection or youthworkers. Staff run classes in youth resourcecentres in Hastings, Rosebud and Frankston andcentres will open in Pakenham and Port Melbourne.The number of potential students is in the “manyhundreds”. ◆26 aeu news |september 2012

On the PHONESMembership Services Unit — 1800 013 379inside the AEUTimely advice when the end is nighFiona Sawyer MSU officerMany members ring us with whatI call seasonal questions. Asschools plan for 2013, so do manyteachers, whether by choice or not.Here’s a primer for Term 4.Goodbye Mr ChipsIf you are considering retiring nextyear, it’s essential that you getfinancial advice. You may want todiscuss your superannuation; we havemembers of the super boards at theAEU who can answer questions onyour scheme.We also recommend more generalfinancial planning advice; RetirementVictoria offers tailored advice toteachers.End of contractsFor some teachers, contracts arecoming to an end and the process offinding new work begins.If there’s little likelihood of yourcontract being renewed or you wantto work elsewhere, now is the timeto start looking. Next year’s jobsare now showing up on RecruitmentOnline. The AEU offers PD on gettingwork — go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/training for more information.Many contract members in schoolsand TAFE are eligible to be translatedinto ongoing positions. If you are one,alert your employer to your statusnow. Your sub-branch can help andwe have pro-forma letters to use. Findthem in the Help and Advice sectionat www.aeuvic.asn.au/advice(members only — log-in required).For many ES staff whose contractsare not being renewed, redeploymentis possible. We have a fact sheet onthis (at www.aeuvic.asn.au/advice)and can advise if this option isavailable to you. For teachers and ESwho are declared in excess, there is aprocess for referral to other positions.Gimme a breakYou usually need to give two terms’notice when seeking leave of a term’slength or longer (whether long serviceor leave without pay). However, theEducation Department says thatno application will be unreasonablyrefused because there are plenty ofreasons why people might not be ableto give this amount of notice.Don’t panic if your principal rejectsyour application for urgent leave; callus and we can discuss options.Nasty surpriseFormal complaints are sometimeslodged against members. Whetherunfair or not, our advice neverchanges. The department’s policieson handling complaints are availableon its website (tinyurl.com/9vbf7jt).These clearly document the processthat must be followed. If you arethe subject of complaint, read thesepolicies and then ring us immediately.Industrial action andnon-membersMany schools have asked about nonmemberparticipation in strikes andbans. We do not advise non-members.But you can remind them that onlyAEU members can take protectedaction. The Fair Work Australiawebsite sets out what can happento those taking unprotected action:tinyurl.com/9aq294t. ◆Do you have an issue you’d like to seecovered in On the Phones? Emailaeunews@aeuvic.asn.au or call the MSUon (03) 9417 2822 or 1800 013 379.“ ESSSuper made planning for mytransition to retirement easy.Actually doing it was easier still.”That’s more than super.Louise, Librarian, ESSSuper Member.Thinking about retiring, resigningor reassessing your career can beconfusing. But with ESSSuper, ourmembers^ have access to products,services and general advice to helptake the stress out of these lifechangingevents.As experts in your fund, we can workclosely with you, and your partner,to get to know you, explain yourbenefits and help you think beyondjust figures.So if you’re considering your options,or facing a forced decision, pleaseget in touch with us today.Make a FREE personalappointment by callingour Member Service Centreon 1300 655 476.ESS3298_(09/12)_AEUProudly serving our members^Members include State Government employees who commenced employment prior to 1994. If you are not already an ESSSuper member you are not eligible to join (unless you are a spouse of an existingmember). Issued by Emergency Services Superannuation Board ABN 28 161 296 741, the Trustee of the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme (ESSSuper) ABN 85 894 637 037. Before making a decisionabout an ESSSuper product or service please consider our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) that is available at www.esssuper.com.au or by calling our Member Service Centre on 1300 655 476.www.aeuvic.asn.au 29

inside the AEUAEU Training& PDKim Daly and Rowena Matcott training officersKeep in touchMake sure you’re up-to-date with AEU campaigns.GIVE a Gonski, TAFE4All, Keep theI promise (our EBA site), your day-todayworkplace concerns…The AEU deals with individualmember queries, workplace issues,and keeps its eye firmly on governments(both state and federal),funding developments, publiceducation in general and, of course,industrial claims.All members and particularlysub-branch representatives need tounderstand and be able to explainto colleagues, family and friends theissues in education.There are lots of ways you can getthis information:Visit the AEU website — www.aeuvic.asn.au.au — our campaignsites, tafe4all.org.au, myschoolneeds.com.au,keepthepromise.com.au, igiveagonski.com.au orour Facebook pages.Subscribe to the fortnightlye-newsletter.Read Wednesday’s Reps’ Bulletin(ask your rep to forward it).Invite your organiser to your school— call (03)9417 2822.Attend your nearest regional meetingfor campaign updates (details atwww.aeuvic.asn.au/regional).Organise an after-school or PD daytraining session.Attend an AEU Active training session— see www.aeuvic.asn.au/active.Doing any or all of these will makeyou more informed and confidentto take part in our campaigns at alllevels, and help you better understandyour individual and workplaceentitlements. ◆New EducatorsNETWORKAndrew Cassidy graduate teacher organiserCut your student debtChanges to the federal budget help new teacherspay off their HELP/HECS loans.Paul Wineberg accountantDID you complete an educationdegree on or after June 30,2009? If so, you may be entitled to areduction in your HELP debt of almost$1600 for the 2010–11 financial yearand higher for subsequent years.In the 2009 budget, the AustralianGovernment extended the HECS-HELPbenefit to students who completean eligible education course afterJune 30, 2009 and start work in aneducation occupation.Eligible graduates can apply for thebenefit, which will reduce their HigherEducation Loan Program (HELP)compulsory repayment.The benefit is available from the2009–10 financial year onwards.Applications for 2009–10 haveclosed, but the benefit of $1,588.10is still available for the 2010–11income year. You have until June 30,2013 to apply.Eligible parties can claim thisbenefit for 260 weeks — a total offive financial years. A new applicationmust be completed each financial year.There are further questions youwill need to answer in order to qualify— contact an accountant for moreinformation.If you completed an earlychildhood education degree afterJune 30, 2008 and work in eligibleemployment, you may be able to claimadditional HECS-HELP benefits. Thishas slightly different rules to othereducation degrees and depends onthe postcode you work in.Paul Wineberg is a member of the Instituteof Chartered Accountants in Australia anddirector at PJ Wineberg & Associates.AEU ActiveTwo-day coursesOct 24–Oct 25............AEU AbbotsfordNov 1–Nov 2.....................SheppartonNov 15–Nov 16..................Metro WestNov 21–Nov 22...........Lakes EntranceOne day coursesOctober 19........................Metro NorthOctober 31..............................GeelongNovember 9.................AEU AbbotsfordNovember 14...............AEU AbbotsfordDecember 5.................AEU AbbotsfordDecember 6.................AEU AbbotsfordImplementing our Agreements inyour school (live and online)October 30................ AEU AbbotsfordAEU Active for principalsNovember 21 ............AEU AbbotsfordTwilight dinner workshopsNovember 26...............AEU AbbotsfordAEU TRAINING CALENDAR TERM 4, 2012PRINCIPALSApplication writing for leadingteacher positionsOctober 10................AEU AbbotsfordApplication writing for principalpositionsOctober 22 ...............AEU AbbotsfordFlexible work optionsOctober 16................AEU AbbotsfordLeading and managing in thecontext of the VGSANovember 21.............AEU AbbotsfordNEW EDUCATORSStudent Teacher ConferencesSeptember 28............AEU AbbotsfordYoung Member Activist ProgramDec 3–Dec 7..............AEU AbbotsfordWOMEN’S PROGRAMFlexible work optionsOctober 16................AEU AbbotsfordReturning to workNovember 7.............AEU Abbotsfordother eventsCRT conferenceOctober 3................... IEU SouthbankDisability services conferenceOctober 12................AEU AbbotsfordAsbestos awareness weekseminarNovember 28 (TBC)..AEU AbbotsfordGreen schools conferenceAnnual conference and dinnerNovember 16..............IEU SouthbankGLBT trainingBeyond the binary: creating inclusiveenvironments for same-sex attractedstudents, staff and familesOctober 23............... AEU AbbotsfordEDUCATION SUPPORTES twilight conferencesOctober 16..........................SunshineNovember 20............Lakes EntranceBusiness managers dinnerconferenceOctober 18.........................MordiallocAll places can be booked on our online calendar. Go to www.aeuvic.asn.au/calendar,select the date of your chosen event and click through.30 aeu news | september 2012

classifiedsTRAVEL AUSTRALIAAIREY’S INLET HOLIDAY RENTALHoliday rental, 3 bdrms, 2 living, largedecks, 1 acre garden, bbq, woodfire.Phone 0416 234 808,(03) 4208 0668.AIREY’S INLETSATIS BEACH HOUSEStylish and comfortable 3 bdrm housefor six on the beach side of Great OceanRoad. Paddle our canoe on the inlet, walkto the lighthouse, cliff walk and beaches.Phone (03) 5380 8228 or emailmelrose@gjr.net.au.Website: www.satisbeachhouse.comHOLIDAY HOUSEPHILLIP ISLAND, VENTNORTwo bedroom sleeps 6, availableweekends and holidays. Jane(03) 9387 9397 or 0431 471 611or Louise (03) 9343 6030 or0413 040 237.WILSONS PROMONTORYPromclose Cottage.www.promclose.com0418 125 412.bathrooms,construction & maintenance*bathrooms *en suites *new or old*evaporative cooling &all home maintenance.N.E. METRO AREAQuality work for the right pricewith over 25 years industry experienceCALL SIMON mobile: 0414 294 824ph/fax: 9439 9223simonedgley@optusnet.com.auSupportingyour studentsTRAVEL INTERNATIONALdriveEUROPEPeugeot Citroen Renault2012 European specials out NOWOur 38th year of service to theEuropean traveller. Email: enquiries@driveeurope.org (02) 9437 4900FRANCE — LANGUEDOCTwo renovated stone houses in tranquilvillage near Carcassone, sleep fouror eight, from $600 a week. Seewebsite at www.frenchrentalhouses.bigpondhosting.com; or phone(02) 4757 1019; 0414 968 397;email marjen1946@hotmail.comFRANCE — PROVENCERestored 17th-century house inmediaeval fortified village of Entrevaux.Spectacular location, close to Côted’Azur and Italy. Contact owners(03) 5258 2798 or (02) 9948 2980.www.provencehousestay.com.FRANCE — SOUTH WESTRenov 17thC 2 bdrm apart in elegantFigeac, “centreville”, or cottage inLauzerte, 12thC hilltop village. Low cost.www.flickr.com/photos/clermontfigeac/or www.flickr.com/photos/les-chouettes/ Ph teacher owner(03) 9877 7513 or email jimmcdon@tpg.com.au for brochure.ITALY — FLORENCEBeautiful fully furnished apartmentin historic centre. Sleeps 2-6,$1,700 pw, telephone 0419 025 996or www.convivioapartment.com.ITALY — UMBRIAApartment. Beautiful sunny 2 bdrm.Historic Centre Citta Di Castello€625pw 2p, €675 3-4p.0414 562 659 darylhely@gmail.comFOR $2 a fortnight, AEUmembers can make asignificant contribution to the life of a Victorian child by making payrolldeductions to State Schools Relief.State Schools’ Relief is your charity, founded in the 1930s byteachers to provide clothing and shoes for students in need.It still does much the same today — and demand has never beengreater.Last financial year, SSR responded to 10,463 requests to helpstudents facing parental unemployment, drug abuse, homelessness,illness, family violence, natural disasters or other need; 84% ofVictorian government secondary schools and 40% of primary schoolsused the service.You can now set up regular tax-deductable payroll donationsthrough edugate. Go to www.ssr.net.au/how-you-can-help/payrollgiving.aspxand click on the Payroll Donation button. Then log intoedugate and fill out the authorisation form.SOUTH OF FRANCE — LANGUEDOCTwo charming newly renovated traditionalstone houses with outside terraces.Sleeps 4 or 6. Market town, capital ofMinervois, wine growing region, close tolake, Canal Midi, Mediterranean beaches,historic towns. From $460 per week. Visit,Web: www.languedocgites.comEmail: info@languedocgites.com.NOTICESBURMA Tour. Yangon, Bagan, Mandalayand InLe Lake. Leaving January 14 for 11days. $3590 per person twin.VIETNAM Tour. Hanoi, Halong Bay,HoiAn, Nha Trang and Saigon. EasterMarch 30 for 14 days $3450 pp twin.THAILAND/LAOS leaving December 28.School visits all tours tax claimable. Askfor itineraries. Ph. 0431 359 283 oremail terrytremellen@hotmail.com.CRT GUIDEDetailed and practical book to helpprimary teachers new to the role as aCRT. See details www.vjsalescom.au$24.95 Free postage.FUNDRAISING withLittle ‘smart’ ArtistsLet your kinder or school’s Little ‘smart’Artists make you money.Kids can now have their artwork put on anAustralian made T-shirt and your kinder/school makes a percentage from everyT-shirt sold. Requires minimal work onyour behalf. Contact sales@littlesmartartists.com.auor 0431 995 165 (Meri)www.littlesmartartists.com.auHandyman/MaintenanceAll jobs, big & small+ bathrooms/tiling. 25 yrs exp.Work in Eltham/Diamond Valley area.Phone Simon 0414 294 824.(MPS) Melbourne PropertySolutionsVendor advocacy — selling yourproperty?Take away the stress and engage anindependent advocate and a formerteacher and aeu member.There is no cost when using MelbourneProperty Solutions, as the agent youselect pays (MPS) a set percentage of thefee from their total commission.Mark Thompson, Licensed Estate AgentMelbourne Property Solutions.Buyer and Vendor Advocate Services.Ph 0409 958 720Email: mark@mpsadvocates.com.auWebsite: www.mpsadvocates.com.auRETIREMENT VICTORIAVisit us at www.retirevic.com.au.RETIRING SOON?Volunteers for Isolated Students’Education recruits retired teachersto assist families with their DistanceEducation Program. Travel and accommodationprovided in return for six weeksteaching. Register at www.vise.org.au or George Murdoch 0421 790 334Ken Weeks (03) 9876 2680.VISAS IMMIGRATIONFor the professional advice youneed — contact Ray Brown. Phone(03) 5792 4056 or 0409 169 147.Email raybrown888@bigpond.com.Migration Agents Registration No. 0213358Volunteer TeachersTeachers Across Borders is looking forvolunteer teachers to deliver week longworkshops in teaching and learning toKhmer teachers Term 1, 2 & 4 holidaysin three locations in Cambodia.Contact www.teachersacrossborders.org.auMOBILE ACCOUNTANT SPECIALISING INTEACHERS TAX RETURNSSPECIAL RATES FOR AEU MEMBERSTAX RETURNS FROM $80in the comfort of your own home or place of work.All possible deductions will be claimed, superannuationadvice, retirement planning available.Experienced Accountant/Registered Tax AgentCall Artur on 9503 4366info@taxwindow.com.auwww.taxwindow.com.auAEU News 7Deadline October 1732 aeu news | september 2012

cultureWINETalkingPaddy KendlerCleanskins clean upWHEN cleanskin wines began to appear onthe market some 15 years ago, they wereinitially viewed as an aberration. They emergedat a time of wine surplus, part of a cycle thatwould soon trend towards shortage, wouldn’t it?Unfortunately for battling grape-growers andstruggling wineries, the wheel hasn’t turnedand cleanskins are now an established part ofthe wine business, to the extent that our largestwine retailers don’t just wait until approachedby winemakers with excess stock and in needof ready cash. They often commission winesfor their cleanskin or merchant label wines andmany winemakers are only too happy to obligerather than leave excess stock tied up in cellarsand tanks.While most retailers are careful not to stockpoor or faulty cleanskins — they may often beplain or boring but not undrinkable — somepoor quality wines do find their way onto themarket.This means that every effort should be madeto taste before you buy.One bargain buy enjoyed recently was a“south eastern Australia” chardonnay 2011DM2 purchased from Dan Murphy. Hope it’s stillavailable.Meanwhile, try these recent releases:ANSELMI SAN VICENZO 2001 ($22): A trulydelightful Italian dry white, medium-bodied withgood depth and length of fruit flavour and wellrounded structure. Versatile with food. wine@singlevineyards.comGRANT BURGE 5th GENERATIONSHIRAZ ($18): The Burge labelcontinues to be associated with thebest of Barossa shiraz and thisnew release provides a deliciousentry point to even more —and naturally, more expensive— regional specialties. Highlyrecommended.BREMERTON COULTHARDCABERNET 2010 ($22): Bremertonis gradually emerging as one ofSA’s elite new wave wineries andthe latest Coulthard stakes yet another claim.Typical of the region, the fruit flavour is up-frontand juicy, the tannins are gentle, the balance isimpeccable. www.bremerton.com.au. ◆Sneezes in SnoresvilleTHE excitement of astudent-free day runs outwhen you realise that you willbe contained in a room withall of your colleagues for aday of imposed professionaldevelopment.While it is important not toseem too keen, the importanceof arriving early to suchdays cannot be overstated.Run late and you risk sharinga table with the very peopleyou avoid in corridors andstaff meetings. You knowwho I’m talking about — thegossipers, the whingers,the pungent and the spaceinvaders. They are guaranteedto turn a long day into anOlympic event.Our staff has just surviveda full day of data analysisdesigned to improve ourteaching. As exciting as thissounds, it was made evenmore amazing by the coldI was suffering from and my dislike of blowingmy nose in public (trust me, it sounds like a foghorn).As someone who spent their university careeravoiding the maths faculty, I knew that a dayof data and its applications was going to be astruggle, but I decided to take notes and try toengage the numbers part of my brain.“The importance of using data to informteaching practices cannot be underestimated.”Good, yes… Excellent… I’ve got that down.I’ve even underlined it. Now for the slide withlots of numbers. The presenter is using a laserto point out all the important numbers. Hmm, I’llwrite more notes when he goes back to words.Looking around, I see a teacher on Facebook.Facebook? I thought you couldn’t accessFacebook at school… I’ll just check that out onmy computer… Wow! It does work. Not appropriatefor now, but good to know… Gosh, thosecold and flu tablets are making me thirsty… I’vealmost finished my water bottle…More slides with numbers… and anemergency situation. I need to blow my nose andI can’t possibly do it in this room. Not with allthis silence. I grab the tissue box, my now-emptywater bottle and the pile of tissues I have used tokeep the nose blow at bay and head for the door. Ialmost make it before launching into an enormoussneezing fit, causing Harold the Woodworkteacher with a tendency to fall asleep at suchevents to lurch forwards in his chair, stifling anenormous snore.Not quite the silent dash I was aiming for.In the relative sanctuary of the foyer, I blow mynose without restraint four times until I turn to seethe principal and the newly appointed Presidentof the College Board staring at me, their cups ofcoffee abandoned and judgement in their eyes.I mumble something about data and stagger inthe direction of the water cooler, wiping my nose.“As you can see, this data…”My enthusiasm for note-taking wanes as myinterest in numbers returns… counting down theminutes until the end of the day. ◆Comedian and teacher Christina Adams can tell youexactly how many working minutes are left untilChristmas.www.aeuvic.asn.au 33

cultureBehindbarbed wireA one-womanshow at theMelbourne Festivaltells the story ofworking in the NewYork school systemthat so inspiresJulia Gillard.PHOTO: melissa FriedmanREVIEWS BY nic barnardCynthia Karena AEU NewsNILAJA Sun taught for eight years in some of thetoughest classrooms in New York City — andthese inform No Child, a one-woman show exploringa public system in crisis that she performs nextmonth in Melbourne.Barbed wire, metal detectors and security guardssurround the fictional Malcolm X High School, andbuilding repairs remain unfunded for years.Performing No Child at this year’s MelbourneGREENWASHGuy PearseBlack Inc.264pp, RRP $29.99From banks tosweeties, taking inairlines, oil companies, fast foodchains and, ahem, beer and sex,climate change researcher Pearsetakes the blowtorch sector bysector to business’s claims to behelping the environment.Pearse gets stuck into celebritieswith hybrid cars and privatejets, and coal freight companieswho boast of “zero carbon”transport while making a mintshifting coal and oil.But even the greenest firmshere are producing more, shippingmore, selling more, and theirtotal emissions are rising evenif emissions per unit fall. Growthis in the DNA of business, but ifsustainability and business arefundamentally incompatible, wheredoes that take us? Pearce avoidsdwelling on that too much in thisreadable compendium. ◆— NBPOLITICAL ANIMALDavid MarrQuarterly Essay135pp, RRP $19.95International Arts Festival, Sun says the play is atake on the George W. Bush administration’s NoChild Left Behind Act of 2001, which held teachersand schools accountable for a child’s success orfailure.“One of the first things to go is the arts becauseit’s challenging to quantify. Private schools with kidswith money get the arts, and kids with no money getleft behind.”Sun fervently believes that theatre can make adifference to students’ lives.“I CAN’T recall aconstructive policy …. My lastingimpression is of negativity anddestruction,” says one observernot of Tony Abbott the OppositionLeader but “Abbo” the SydneyUniversity student politician inMarr’s study of Abbott’s history.Abbott’s ability to divide hasdeep roots, Marr discovers. Theman bringing down the nationaldebate today is clearly visible inthe “muscular reactionary” at uni,aggressively anti-homosexual,anti-feminist and devoted to BobSantamaria’s Catholic agenda.Marr recognises a split inAbbott personality between valuesand politics — volunteeringin Aurukun one week, snarlingat Julia Gillard the next — butconcludes that it’s politics thatmatters. As for Abbott himself,he’s “a politician with little ideawhat he might do if he ever got tothe top”. ◆— NB“If they have only oneway to express themselves,for example as agangster or a teen mum,they will take it. The artsgives them another wayto be.”Sun performs the rolesof students, teachers,parents, administratorsand security guards, allgrappling with a brokenpublic education system.“I’m sad to say kidsgo through 20 to 30minutes of security beforethey can learn and beeducated in New York Cityand other big cities (inthe US).“We are putting ajail around their minds.I’ve worked in jails andseen the similarities,and it’s almost as if weare treating them asprisoners.”Past students comerunning up to Sun in thestreet to tell her howmuch they appreciatedperforming at school.“They develop the confidence to speak in front ofothers and confront their fears about speaking inpublic. ‘If I can do this, what else can I do?’”Sun wants people to understand how muchteachers do for this world and how hard they work.“This play puts teachers on this beautiful pedestal,where they should be as people who cultivatethinking in children.“I’m thrilled to be coming to Australia and I can’twait to meet Australian teachers and students andhear what’s happening in Australia.”The performance on Thursday October 11 at1pm will be followed by a Q&A with Sun.If the Gonski report is too complex for the publicto absorb, maybe a powerful play can open people’sminds and hearts to the excellent work teachers doin a dysfunctional public school system.“She is an astonishing performer — I saw theshow in Edinburgh in 2010 and was blown away bythe work,” says creative producer Daniel Clarke,from Theatre Works in St Kilda. “It got a standingovation every performance of its month-long run. Itreally gives a voice to teachers.” ◆No ChildOctober 9–14Arts Centre Fairfax StudioWritten and performed by Nilaja SunDirected by Hal BrooksProduced in Melbourne by Daniel Clarkefrom Theatre Works.www.melbournefestival.com.auFree ticketsThe AEU has four double passes for theopening night, Tuesday October 9, to giveaway to members. For a chance to win,email giveaways@aeuvic.asn.au with“No Child” in the subject line, by middayFriday September 28.34 aeu news | september 2012

Win teaching resourcesAEU News is giving members the opportunity to win a variety of Australian resources for their schoollibraries from our good friends at ABC Books, Ford Street Publishing and Pan MacMillan Australia.To enter, simply email us at giveaways@aeuvic.asn.au by 10am Tuesday, October 9.Include your name and school or workplace. Write “Win Teaching Resources” in the subject line.Prizes will be sent to the winner’s school or workplace with a special inscription recognising the winner. Good luck!subscribe to the AEUe-newsletter atwww.aeuvic.asn.aufor the chance towin more giveaways!giveawaysPurrby AlisonLesterCan you purr like a cat? Squeak like amouse? Have fun making pet animalsounds!Roar by Alison LesterCan you roar like a lion? Growl like aleopard? Have fun making wild animalsounds!ABC Books,RRP $12.99Greylands by Isobelle CarmodyA haunting fable from the acclaimed author of The Gathering and Green Monkey Dreams.One wakeful night in the aftermath of his mother’s death, Jack enters a land devoid of colour orscent. Here he meets the tragic laughing beast and Alice, a strange girl with a secret.Will Jack escape before the terrifying wolvers find him? Or is he destined to be trapped in theGreylands forever? Only the cats know … Ford Street Publishing, RRP $18.95TIME THIEVES by Charlie CarterThirteen-year-old Napoleon Augustus Smythe (Battle Boy 005) is now Battle Agent 005. Along withBA004, BA009 and super soldier TEX, he is a member of Omega Squad — an elite team of TimeTroopers sent back into history for Operation Battle Book.But Professor Perdu, their mission controller, is worried. Someone is stealing time and energybundles from the Battle Books. Someone is determined to sabotage Operation Battle Book.But who? And why? Pan Macmillan Australia, RRP $12.99Arkie Sparkle: Ruby Red by Petra JamesDay 4: The North Carolina coast: Arkie and TJ have just gatecrashed the pirate party of the eighteenthcentury – a party given by the villainous Blackbeard. They’re in trouble as soon as they arrive. Piratesdon’t like gatecrashing spies – especially ones with a petulant parrot. Pan Macmillan Australia, RRP $12.99Congratulations to our winners from AEU News issue 5: Arkie Sparkle – Treasure Hunter: Time Trap — Janine Kelly, Elsternwick Primary School; The Bedtime Poem for Edible Children —Tina Schergat, Western English Language School; Mountain Wolf — Linda Britton, Brookside College, Caroline Springs; Fire in the Sea — Robby Stevens, Chaffey Secondary College;Rudie Nudie Joanne Lakeland, Healesville Primary School.A better deal onyour home loan.As a responsible customer owned bank,we put our customers first.That’s why we offer products like ourBasic Home Loan, which has specialfeatures like repayment pauses 1 , a rangeof repayment frequencies, and free redraw.%6.21 p.a. 2Comparison RateBasicHome Loan6.08 % p.a.$8 monthly feeVisit bankmecu.com.au/basicor call 132 888scan me witH your moBiLe mecu Limited ABN 21 087 651 607 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence Number 238431 trading as bankmecu. Terms, conditions, fees and chargesapply and are available on request and on application. Loans subject to normal lending criteria and approval. Interest rates expressed as annual percentage rates. Variable ratescorrect as at 24/08/2012, however, are subject to change at any time. Check bankmecu.com.au for the latest rates. 1. Loans must be established for a full 12 months, and amaximum loan to value ratio of 90% (Family-Pause) or 80% (Eco-Pause) applies. Pausing repayments will result in interest continuing to accrue on the loan, potentially increasingthe term of your loan. Full conditions available from bankmecu. 2. The Comparison Rate is based on a secured loan of $150,000 for 25 years. Warning: This comparison rate is true only for theexamples given, and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. 33845 AEUwww.aeuvic.asn.au 35