Statement begins:

The entire country is in shock and the entire education system is on the brink of collapse. All education staff have taken a pay cut of 25% -- not just teachers, but clerical staff, gardeners, janitors, support staff, everyone.

This represents one of the most horrific acts of austerity in Australian history. Shockingly, it comes right after the election of a right-wing government, but it was not imposed by that government. Rather, it was imposed by an unelected bureaucrat.

Since the High Court's decision, almost every legal expert in the country has come out to point out that the Judgement is poorly considered and makes no legal sense. It is therefore clear that this was not a judgement made by an impartial Chief Justice, but rather nothing less than the Judiciary colluding with the Liberal Party to implement austerity without any democratic will.

If this is allowed to stand, it will be the most significant defeat for Australian workers in generations. The AEU must strike, and it must strike immediately. There is simply no other options. With so much funding suddenly gutted from the education system -- funding that our schools have come to rely on -- it is simply impossible for things to continue functioning, and the AEU must strike.

So the purpose of this statement is not to encourage the AEU to strike. Obviously, they must. Instead, it is to remind Australia's other unions that, thanks to an earlier reform passed by the SPA, solidarity action is now legal.

It is now time for other unions to join with the AEU, and for Australia to enter a general strike. There is no other option. If this is allowed to stand, the entire education system will collapse. The future of all Australia's children will be thrown into doubt.

There is simply nothing else for it -- the unions of Australia must strike until the incredibly patrial Chief Justice is dismissed and education funding is restored.