Media release – Peter Gutwein, Premier, 10 February 2022
Statement from the Premier
Sarah Courtney has provided great service to Tasmania during the last eight years as a Member of Parliament and as a Minister, and I wish her all the very best for her future endeavours.
Sarah has been at the helm of some significant achievements during her time as Minister and as a Member of Parliament.
She was the Health Minister when COVID-19 first hit, working closely alongside me in responding to this once in a lifetime pandemic.
Together we stood side by side at daily press conferences – explaining difficult decisions that dealt with challenging and unforeseen circumstances to ensure the community was kept informed.
As Minister, Sarah also oversaw the commissioning of K-Block at the Royal Hobart Hospital – a significant achievement, especially in the context of a global pandemic.
As the Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth, Sarah was instrumental in passing the TasTAFE Bill last year.
This reform will set TasTAFE up for the future as a more responsive and effective training provider that is more closely aligned to what our businesses and students need.
As the Minister for Children and Youth, Sarah has been driving the transition for the Ashley Youth Detention Centre to a new therapeutic model and she has worked closely with the disability sector to ensure that students will, in a Covid environment, continue to have the access they need to an education.
And as the Member for Bass, Sarah took on the role of taking the Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation through the House of Assembly.
This was something very important to her as she felt very strongly about the right of individual Tasmanians to make informed decisions about their own lives.
I thank Sarah for her commitment and dedication to her work as a Minister in the Tasmanian Parliament, and for her advocacy for the people of Bass as local Member of Parliament.
I will consider the longer term make-up of the Cabinet over the next week and in the meantime the current acting minis
Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, 10 February 2022
Gutwein fails Tasmanians with Education Minister’s holiday and subsequent resignation
Peter Gutwein should take responsibility for the resignation of Sarah Courtney which has created an even bigger mess than her absence over the past three weeks.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said the Premier’s decision to allow Ms Courtney to travel to France on holidays in the lead up to school returning in the midst of COVID was woefully misguided and irresponsible – and so was his refusal to recall her to do her job.
“Mr Gutwein refused to recall Sarah Courtney when serious questions were being asked about the preparedness of schools to deal with COVID in the lead up to the most disruptive start to a new school year in living memory,” Ms White said.
“And now we are left with a situation where Tasmanian students and teachers do not have an Education Minister.
“Sarah Courtney’s resignation has created an even bigger mess where the government is failing to support our students and our teachers at such a crucial time.
“We had consistently called on Sarah Courtney to return from Europe to do her job.
“We had consistently called on the Premier to recall Ms Courtney to return to do her job.
“Instead she has left a bigger mess with no Minister responsible for her portfolios which also includes responsibility for children in the middle of a Commission of Inquiry, Minister for Disability when many are incredibly concerned about COVID and as Minister for Tourism and Hospitality as businesses and workers suffer the impact of the government opening the border to COVID.
“Nobody begrudges someone taking a holiday but there can be no doubt Ms Courtney’s decision today has everything to do with the criticisms she rightfully faced about her unacceptable absence as school returned and also for the Premier’s refusal to call her back.”
Media release – Australian Education Union Tasmania, 10 February 2022
AEU Tasmania acknowledges Minister Courtney’s resignation
The Australian Education Union Tasmania wishes well outgoing Education minister Sarah Courtney, and respects anyone’s right to prioritise their family life.
The Minister leaves behind a poor legacy in education and the AEU holds concerns that Tasmanian educators and students will miss out because of delays caused by a change in Minister.
Unfortunately, the Minister’s exit itself was misleading – claiming plans for ventilation and air purifiers were ready in schools months ago just isn’t true – months ago the Minister was denying union demands for these measures.
A legacy of this Minister will be 900 Tasmanians kicked out of their public service positions at TasTAFE on June 30 this year. It is unfortunate that she will not be in Parliament to be accountable when this blow to public education and training occurs.
The AEU has put a comprehensive ‘Lifting Learning’ program to the State Government as part of negotiations on new workplace agreements, including more teachers, support staff and resources for schools and colleges.
The Government must not use a change of Minister to excuse any delay in improving the learning conditions of students and working conditions of our educator members – negotiations must continue straight away.
Tasmania has a serious shortage of teachers, school psychologists, speech pathologists, social workers, teacher assistants and support staff – this must be an immediate priority of the incoming Education minister and Government for the upcoming budget.
