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AEU Press Release For Wednesday 14 March 2018

Text BoxDeath knell for TAFE? You decide, says AEU

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The future of TAFE hangs in the balance – and this Saturday’s vote holds the key to its survival, says the Australian Education Union.

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“Thanks to the ‘TAFE – Too Good to Lose in SA’ campaign and a long and persistent campaign by dedicated AEU members, the future of TAFE in South Australia has become a critical election issue,” said AEU SA Branch President, Howard Spreadbury.

“This is evidenced by the Labor Government’s announcement on the weekend that TAFE will receive a massive funding increase if a Weatherill Labor Government is re-elected on March 17.”

On Sunday, Labor announced it will make a significant investment in the skills needed for the jobs of the future by increasing VET (Vocational Education and Training) funding by $100 million, creating 18,000 training places to support apprentices, trainees and job-related training if it is re-elected.

Labor also guaranteed the future of TAFE SA by ensuring at least 70% of all public VET funding will go to TAFE.

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“In contrast, if Steven Marshall becomes SA’s Premier next weekend, the Liberal party has vowed to fully privatise SA’s training system by making all public VET funding ‘100% contestable.’ As has been seen in the eastern states, we believe this will destroy TAFE and be a green light for dodgy private training companies to rip off students and the taxpayer - further damaging our training system reputation and leaving SA’s economy vulnerable,” Mr Spreadbury said.

Mr Spreadbury said the choice was clear for South Australians who supported young people and workers having access to high quality public vocational education and skills training.

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“If the Liberals are elected on Saturday, it could be the end for TAFE in South Australia. That’s just how serious the situation is. Steven Marshall’s Liberals and their national colleagues are more interested in attacking TAFE SA and privatising our training system than in investing in the skills our State’s economy needs.”

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“TAFE SA’s senior management must now refocus on education and abandon the obsession with operating as a commercial entity; an obsession it has had since becoming a statutory authority in 2012, with disastrous consequences.”

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Mr Spreadbury said while TAFE SA educational staff have continued to provide quality training, TAFE SA’s senior management had completely lost sight of the organisation’s purpose for existing, “which is to deliver the high quality vocational education and skills training our state deserves. South Australians need the skills training that will allow them take advantage of future job opportunities in industries such as defence and shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing, new technology and health".

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“If we don’t get vocational education and training right, these skills will need to be imported from overseas. If our young people and workers wanting to transition to new industries don’t have the necessary skills, the jobs will simply go to migrant workers on 457 visas,” said Mr Spreadbury.

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Chair of the AEU TAFE Divisional Council, Ms Angela Dean, said the private training experiment had been a disaster interstate and would damage the provision of skills development in South Australia. “When voters go to the polls on Saturday we want them to vote for candidates who support TAFE. TAFE is too good to lose in South Australia.”


For further information, please contact:

Howard Spreadbury AEU | SA President | 0417 823 91

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