11. Travel
Overview
There are few concessions for the additional time and cost of travel for rural and remote teaching staff. Unsealed roads and distances between communities mean that teachers carry the financial burden of petrol costs and car maintenance. Cars are not provided to teaching staff in rural and remote Australia. The need to travel large distances to access professional development is not adequately funded by education departments (Tomlinson 1994).
Developing and sustaining contact that aids professional growth between and within the schools, we find, is very expensive. This afternoon we'll go to Alice Springs; we have a school in Alice Springs and a school at Santa Teresa, so just to get there costs me $1,000 plus whatever accommodation. I've got to hire a four-wheel drive to get out to Santa Teresa. These sorts of costs are very difficult to deal with (Bill Griffiths, Director of Catholic Education (NT), Darwin public hearing, 10 May 1999).Last updated 2 December 2001.Training and development activities are limited, and when available, often come at considerable cost in terms of travel and accommodation. Teachers are keen to improve their skills, and will make the effort to access training where they can (Submission 48, Dorrigo High School, NSW).
