Government's plan will do more than dismantle TAFE – it will rip it apart
The Gutwein Liberal Government's determined, ideological attack on TasTAFE will result in a loss of structured, high quality training and higher costs for students.
Shadow TAFE Minister Josh Willie said the government's so-called TAFE reforms were in reality an attempt to dismantle it and turn it into a budget-version of Tasmania's key public training institution.
"Education Minister Sarah Courtney is determined to gut TAFE with the government's TasTAFE Bill that is currently before the Parliament," Mr Willie said.
"The fact is TasTAFE offers structured training, with campuses all over the state, offering extensive hands-on learning for all Tasmanians looking for a career path.
"The fact is Ms Courtney and the government are hell bent on dismantling this critical institution, removing high-quality training and installing unregistered trainers rather than highly qualified teachers.
"Ms Courtney and the government should be honest with Tasmanians and call this attack for what it is – an industrial dispute brought to the Parliament for resolution.
"These reforms haven't worked in other states.
"The Liberals know that in South Australia TAFE was commercialised, resulting in cuts to 20 courses in areas of high need - courses like childcare, aged care and disability.
"Ms Courtney has had every opportunity to rule this out and rule out job losses, a loss of employment conditions for teachers and fee hikes but she cannot.
"Additionally, the government's consultation on this process has been a farce. They are not consulting, they are merely telling students and teachers and other staff that their way is the way forward.
"The government is just not listening to those at the coalface and this unjustified plan needs to be stopped before TasTAFE is gutted."
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for TAFE
