I would like to express my gratitude for the hard work of the teachers at our local independent schools.

Back in August, I had the opportunity to meet with teachers from Casimir Catholic College in Marrickville, Stephanie Bohane and Kevin Boyce, accompanied by Independent Education Union Organiser, Lee Cunningham, to discuss the increasingly distressing conditions of the field.

Amid a staffing crisis, there has been unjust pressure placed on our teachers to take on additional, unpaid work just to keep their heads above water.

Hearing their first-hand experiences, it was made clear to me that these challenges go beyond the stresses posed by COVID-19. This demands serious action to correct both a system that does not give our teachers the recognition or autonomy that they deserve.

During our meeting, we discussed the IEU campaign, "Hear Our Voice" which calls for better respect and working conditions for independent teachers, including: raising the salary cap, giving adequate time to plan lessons, and addressing the decreasing supply of teachers in NSW by creating better work incentives.

I thank Stephanie Bohane, Kevin Boyce, and Lee Cunningham for speaking with me about these concerns and fighting to let our teachers teach.