TAFE SA crisis: Push for Federal Government parliamentary inquiry

THE Turnbull Government will hold a high-level inquiry into South Australia’s TAFE scandal that would consider whether $771 million in taxpayer cash was wasted.

• LAWSUIT: Class action looms against TAFE SA
• ANOTHER SACKED: TAFE SA students gutted as crisis deepens
• ANALYSIS: Lost confidence, minister? So have we
• TAFE CRISIS: CEO quits, courses cut, students left without accreditation
• BASIC FAILURES: What the report found

THE Turnbull Government will hold a high-level inquiry into South Australia’s TAFE scandal that would consider whether $771 million in taxpayer cash was wasted.

The Senate voted to set up a parliamentary inquiry into the crisis on Wednesday after SA Liberal Senator David Fawcett called for one to be established.

Labor opposed the move, but the Greens and Nick Xenophon Team supported it.

The Senate inquiry will investigate the failures in TAFE SA that has resulted in suspension of courses as well as quality issues with the provision of training.

A report is due on February 28 about two weeks before the State Election.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority report released on Monday found three trainers and assessors from TAFE’S plumbing course did not have the knowledge or skills to teach various parts of the curriculum. As a result, TAFE SA has suspended new enrolments in the course — along with 13 other Certificate and Diploma courses.

TAFE SA CEO Robin Murt resigned immediately after the report was released, and on Tuesday board chairman Peter Vaughn was sacked.

Former TAFE SA Chief Executive Robin Murt in his city office on Tuesday. Picture: Calum Robertson

State Education Minister Susan Close has commissioned an independent review by Nous Group saying it “will be undertaken as quickly as possible” but “take as long as it needs to”.

It was unlikely to finish before classes start next year, she said.

“It’s highly likely that more courses have problems,” Dr Close said.

Dr Close said TAFE would accept enrolments in unaudited classes next year. TAFE has begun contacting the 800 affected students to advise them about further testing or training will be needed to obtain their qualifications.

Dr Close said students who had graduated in past years would not have their degrees revoked. She said the Government would cover “any expenses” created by the blunder.

It comes as the Australian Education Union began a campaign for funding for TAFE SA.

Two of the AEU’s four campaign videos for the TAFE Too Good To Lose in SA campaign were released overnight on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and their website.