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Whistleblower teacher’s union election fight blocked again – ahead of next week’s strike

A whistleblower's bid to challenge Queensland Teachers' Union's delegate selection process has been rejected, despite evidence of members being excluded from crucial votes.

Whistleblower teacher Madonna Johanson has had her claim about the QTU election processes blocked again. Picture: Facebook
Whistleblower teacher Madonna Johanson has had her claim about the QTU election processes blocked again. Picture: Facebook

A Queensland teacher’s high-stakes legal battle to shine a light on alleged two decades of secrecy and power grabs inside the Queensland Teachers’ Union has been slammed shut again, ahead of next week’s statewide teacher strike.

Classroom teacher and whistleblower Madonna Johanson launched back-to-back legal challenges claiming tens of thousands of teachers were locked out of crucial delegate votes, and that the union’s 2023 leadership elections were marred by unfair tactics.

But on Monday, Industrial Registrar Madonna Shelley dealt Johanson a second blow, ruling the contested federal delegate roles fall outside the QTU’s official election framework and therefore outside the scope of Queensland industrial law.

Registrar Shelley acknowledged the QTU “wears two hats”: one as a state industrial organisation, and the other as the Queensland branch of the Australian Education Union.

She said this confusing dual role created a legal grey zone where Queensland’s industrial laws don’t apply.

Failed QTU executive candidate Madonna Johanson claims the QTU election processes are unfair. Picture: Facebook
Failed QTU executive candidate Madonna Johanson claims the QTU election processes are unfair. Picture: Facebook

“This isn’t an election within the QTU’s registered organisation so the application for an election inquiry cannot proceed,” she said.

While a technical win for the union, the ruling confirms Johanson’s key claim: delegate seats to the national AEU conference, a powerful internal power base, have not been open to the union’s 48,000-plus members for fair nomination or vote.

Johanson’s submissions painted a stark picture of claims that a secretive clique was running the union behind closed doors for more than 20 years.

“It’s like a private club,” she said. “Members have no clue how these decisions are made.

“They’ve been frozen out of federal representation for decades.”

Teachers and TAFE teachers rally throughout Brisbane. Picture: Contributed
Teachers and TAFE teachers rally throughout Brisbane. Picture: Contributed

She said her evidence includes internal documents, policy memos, and screenshots showing delegate roles locked down in State Council meetings with no public nominations or votes.

Earlier this month, Ms Johanson suffered her first legal setback when Registrar Shelley rejected her challenge to the QTU’s 2023 senior officer elections.

Ms Johanson had accused the union of unfair campaign rules and biased use of official union channels.

Registrar Shelley ruled that such campaign conduct amounted to lawful “electioneering” not illegal “irregularities” saying “an irregularity does not include electioneering”.

Despite being knocked out early in that race, Ms Johanson’s fight revealed a fractured election process mired in complexity, legal wrangling, and governance questions.

And the battle is far from over.

Thanks to her pressure, the Australian Electoral Commission recently took the unusual step of directly contacting Queensland teachers about upcoming AEU delegate nominations, bypassing traditional QTU gatekeepers for the first time in years.

Ms Johanson, protected as a whistleblower under Commonwealth law, said she was just getting started.

“I didn’t expect them to give up easily but I’ve pulled back the curtain,” she said.

“Teachers are waking up to what’s been hidden for far too long.”

The QTU has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Whistleblower teacher’s union election fight blocked again – ahead of next week’s strike

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/queensland/whistleblower-teachers-union-election-fight-blocked-again-ahead-of-next-weeks-strike/news-story/e5a7aae06dbe9d4e21303e1c5fbd18b0