The Committee is due to report on or before the last sitting day of the Autumn session 1998. As this article argues, there is no virtue in legal protection for specific occupations or professions. Furthermore, single union coverage of specific professions and occupations should be exposed as evil. The practices of professional organizations should not be shielded from trade practices that are common in the commercial world. Teaching as a profession deserves special attention in this regard.
Many people warn that there is a growing shortage of teachers.
Quintessence suggests that the best and quickest solution is to deregulate legal requirements that students can receive instruction only from teachers who are formally qualified and registered in the respective State as teacher. It should be clear that what is perceived as a problem, is in fact a situation fabricated by those who abuse a monopoly position. The Hilmer reform program offers a simple solution. Abolish the monopoly and the problem disappears. This logic can be applied to perceived problems in many occupations and professions, but the monopoly stranglehold of the trade union over teaching should be broken as a matter of urgency.