A warning from the Productivity Commission that state governments offering free TAFE places will limit competition and contestability in the training sector is reverberating around the industry, as the Australian Catholic University College closes its doors – just when the Macklin review recommends even more free places go on offer in Victoria.

ACU College, which had about 600 students enrolled in certificate and diploma courses, is “teaching out” for final year students in 2021, finding new providers for all others, and will cease to operate at the end of the year.