NSW Greens MP John Kaye visited Port Macquarie on Monday to launch a Greens Bill to save TAFE from what he described as the “cost cutting, competitive agenda of the O’Farrell Government”.
Dr Kaye was accompanied by speakers from the NSW Teachers Federation, PSA and TAFE Community Alliance and addressed a small group of staff and students outside the Port Macquarie campus of North Coast TAFE. He also visited TAFEs in Kempsey and Coffs Harbour
“Maintaining a high quality TAFE system is essential if the Mid North Coast is to prosper in a world struggling to deal with human-induced climate change,” Dr Kaye said.
“Making sure that new jobs are created and maintaining a strong democracy are at risk if the O’Farrell Government goes ahead with its plans to rip apart TAFE.
“Only a strong TAFE system can provide the skilled and educated workforce needed to attract new investments in renewable energy technologies to the Mid North Coast.
“NSW will eventually make the transition away from coal and gas. The only question is will the state have a workforce that can innovate and manufacture here or will all the technologies be imported and the jobs go overseas?
“The O’Farrell Government is planning to hand skills training to private providers who will work to a lowest-cost, tick-the-box model.
“Retooling the Mid North Coast’s economy will take much more than just bare minimum skills.
“The threat of the Coalition’s ‘Smart and Skilled’ market has already forced many regional TAFE colleges to dump teachers and courses in a bid to prepare for competition.
“Private providers of vocational training are driven by profit not quality.
“Most will only prepare students for existing jobs, without the skills needed to be internationally competitive in emerging renewable energy technologies.
“The Mid North Coast will be poorly served if the O’Farrell Government is not prevented from vandalising the public education skills system.
“The Greens’ bill will put a stop to the ‘Smart and Skilled’ training market and reinstate TAFE funding lost over the last three years. It will also freeze student fees and limit the flow of public funds to private providers.
“TAFE sits at the core of a successful community. The economic and social future of the Mid North Coast is now at risk.
“If TAFE is destroyed, regional NSW will face rising youth unemployment, increasing levels of inequality and disadvantage and a local skills shortage.”
