The conditions are certainly poor. I don't subscribe to thinking their pay conditions are universally poor, i think there are circumstance where that is the case, but Teachers as a whole are well remunerated on a package as a whole when you considering leave benefits etc.
A lot of my friends are teachers and principals, they all comment on the lack of support that is provided to teachers and about how the control has shifted from teacher to students and parents.
In terms of the entrance requirements. Considering students normally put first round university preferences in before receiving their final ATAR scores, raising the score may turn off some students into thinking they wouldn't qualify, and therefore select a degree they believe they will qualify for.
An entrance exam would need to be matched with a pathways program, for those that don't meet the bench mark
