[Greens-Media] NSW Coalition joins Federal Labor in TAFE privatisation

[John Kaye]

NSW Coalition joins Federal Labor in TAFE privatisation
 
Media release: 23 October 2012
 
TAFE in NSW is facing the same disastrous fate as it did in Victoria as the O'Farrell government dumps its commitment to public education and training, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
('TAFE shake-up could spell an end to non-vocational courses', Sydney Morning Herald, 23 October 2012, page 3, http://j.mp/smh121023)
 
Dr Kaye said: "TAFE is to be thrown into competition against low fee, low quality private providers.  
 
"The losers will be the students who will end up with less education and fewer skills and the state's future which will be denied the economic and cultural benefits of public vocational educational and training.
 
"NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli has obviously lost the battle against Barry O'Farrell's chief bureaucrat Chris Eccles, who in a previous job designed the training reforms in Victoria which have taken TAFE in that state to the brink of extinction.
 
"The Gillard government has been pushing states into forcing their TAFE systems to compete with private providers. They found a willing partner in the O'Farrell government, despite the appalling consequences for students, teachers and the future of the state.
 
"Both Labor and the Coalition have abandoned TAFE to market forces, despite the importance of protecting quality and ensuring access to new educational and training for low income and disabled students.
 
"The O'Farrell government's short-term approach to skills formation will not only undermine the capacity of the state's workforce to innovate but it will also starve the future of cultural development.
 
"Restricting funding to courses that fill skills shortages will weaken the arts in this state and exclude many people from life-long learning.
 
"Treasury's obsession with shrinking government and the Coalition and Labor's blind faith in market forces and privatisation are robbing NSW of the benefits of a public provider of vocational education and training.
 
"The Greens will continue to campaign against the cuts and the privatisation of TAFE," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000