Queensland rejects TAFE free-for-all

QUEENSLAND will avoid a "massive cost blowout" by rejecting a Victorian-style free-for-all in its open training market, the state government says.

John-Paul Langbroek

QUEENSLAND will avoid a "massive cost blowout" by rejecting a Victorian-style free-for-all in its open training market, the state government says.

But critics say the plan to concentrate training funds on the key industry areas of mining, construction, tourism and agriculture will damage rather than boost the economy.

The government yesterday supported all 40 recommendations of last month's contentious Skills and Training Taskforce Report, but watered down a proposal to close 38 of the state's 82 TAFE campuses.

Most other states are making similar moves to allow private colleges to compete for state training funds, and to give priority to courses considered most useful to industry. But plans to close campuses have so far been restricted to a handful in Victoria.

Queensland Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the government would rationalise campuses but had not settled on a number. He said 12 would be given to a university-TAFE merger in central Queensland and 13 would be sold, but additional closures were on hold.

Mr Langbroek said those earmarked for sale were mostly disused campuses in Brisbane and the proceeds would go to the TAFEs. "Instead of aged crumbling relics, we want people in better facilities."

Queensland Teachers' Union president Kevin Bates said it made sense to dispose of unused campuses. But he dismissed the government's claims that many other campuses were only used 40 per cent of the time as a "self-fulfilling prophecy".

"When successive governments have stripped resources out of TAFE, that's why there might be under-utilisation of facilities."

Mr Bates predicted "spot fire situations" such as a recent decision to close an art program for students with disabilities, quickly reversed following the intervention of the local mayor.

"They're going to see what they can get away with. They'll have a go at closing [programs] and just see what happens."

Policy consultant Brendan Sheehan criticised the focus on just four industry areas. "There are things that are central to the economy, but what about things central to the community? We need a lot more aged care workers."

Mr Sheehan said key industries would suffer if the government neglected basic business training, and skills in areas considered non-vocational - such as music and art - were essential to tourism. "It's not just about running a resort and serving drinks."

Mr Langbroek said training would continue in other industries. "In Gladstone for example we're not just focusing on mining and construction. They also need business, retail, hairdressing."

But he said some courses would receive less government funding. "That will avoid us getting into the same situation as Victoria where the previous government said you can study anything you like, and we'll pay for it."

RMIT University tertiary education analyst Gavin Moodie said the four-industry approach was "shallow and short-term", excluding community services and health although they were the fastest growing area of the economy.

Dr Moodie criticised plans to prioritise funding for training in schools to courses that led to jobs. He said this ignored the 57 per cent of school leavers with vocational qualifications who went on to university, further training or apprenticeships.

However TAFE Directors Australia backed the government's move to give TAFEs more autonomy as "a breath of fresh air".

Chief executive officer Martin Riordan said Queensland TAFEs had been shackled by regulation. "It had become quite unworkable. We've been losing market share up there, and something had to give."