Victorian taxpayers are paying more than $1 million a day for casual relief teachers to fill classrooms across the state as Labor's teacher shortage crisis continues to worsen.
Documents obtained by the Victorian Liberals and Nationals underFreedom of Information confirm $365.9 million was spent on casual relief teachers at Victorian Government schools between May 2023 and May 2024, an increase of more than 54 per cent since 2019.
Casual relief teachers are employed to replace a teacher who is absent, on leave, undertaking other duties or for a specific task that requires a registered teacher and receive a 20 per cent pay rate loading.
These figures come as Labor's teacher shortage crisis continues to worsen, with almost 1,000 vacancies currently advertised and continued reports of merged and cancelled classes and students being sent home from school early.
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood and Education, Jess Wilson, said: "These figures reveal the true financial cost of Labor's teacher shortage crisis.
"Labor's mismanagement of Victoria's teacher workforce has left schools reliant on casual relief teachers, meaning less stability for students and higher costs for taxpayers.
"Instead of spending over $1 million a day to plug teaching workforce gaps of their own making, the Allan Labor Government should use this money to address the fundamental causes of the teacher shortage crisis and to provide better support for teachers and staff.
"Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our teaching workforce and Victorian students are paying the price."
