Industry backs government's TasTAFE reforms over flexible training

Government and business want changes to the publicly-owned vocational education provider rushed through parliament. LATEST >>

THE government’s reforms to TasTAFE were essential to enable it to deliver flexible training demanded by industry, the minister says.

Education and Training Minister Sarah Courtney spruiked the legislation with the support of employer groups ahead of stopwork action by TasTAFE staff angry at the changes.

The government's controversial TasTAFE (Skills and Training Business) Bill 2021 will shortly be considered by the Legislative Council after being passed by the House of Assembly last week.

The legislation will transform the education provider to a more independent structure, overseen by a CEO and board.

It will no longer be an agency under the State Service Act and staff will be employed under the national Fair Work Act instead.

Ms Courtney said none would be worse off.

“In terms of this legislation, this is also underpinned by almost $100m of funding commitment,” she said.

“This is 100 more teachers as well as investment into our capital across the state.

“Indeed, our commitment has already started rolling out the door with the campaign starting last week to recruit the first 25 of those 100 teachers.

“We know that we have shortage across a range of industries in Tasmania. What this is about is ensuring that we have got a public provider of training in Tasmania that can respond to the needs of industry and importantly, so there are pathways for young Tasmanians into jobs all across the state.”

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Michael Bailey called on the Legislative Council to pass the legislation, saying the government had a mandate because of it’s “landslide election win”.

“What we’ve heard from around the state, from our businesses, from our members is the real want for TasTAFE to be the best it can be,” he said.

“And it’s quite clear that under the current framework, it just can’t be that.

Australian Education Union TAFE Division President Simon Bailey said no cogent rational for the reforms had been advanced by the government.

“Teachers and staff at TasTAFE have been shown utter disrespect from this Government whose bad laws will make the TasTAFE teacher shortage worse,” he said.

“Months after announcing their TasTAFE privatisation plan, based on a single submission calling for a ‘Jetstar model’ for TasTAFE, the Government is unable to explain or justify their actions.

“We have still had no answer from Peter Gutwein or the Minister to the big question – what exactly will TasTAFE be able to do under these new laws that they can’t do now?”

The changes to TAFE were based on a recommendation of the Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council reflecting a submission from the NCK Evers Network — which was founded by a group including PESRAC review chief Don Challen.

Labor’s education spokesman Josh Willie questioned what flexibility the new TAFE could exhibit delivering nationally acredited courses.

The government last week appointed PESRAC member Tim Gardner as TAFE chairman.

Labor has opposed the plans, saying the government was privatising TAFE and looking to sell off its assets.

Could 16-17 year old Tasmanians vote in state elections?

A BID by the Greens to allow 16 and 17 year old Tasmanians to opt-in to vote in state elections has been lost after the Liberals and Labor refused to support the Bil.

In state parliament on Wednesday afternoon, Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the proposed Bill would allow younger Tasmanians to have their say at the ballot box.

“The Greens’ Bill recognises in this climate-constrained century, young people need voices in parliament,’’ Ms O’Connor said.

“They have arguably the right to have a say, and they’ve witnessed in this past week, the failure of political leadership at Glasgow for COP26.”

Under the proposal, a person would be eligible for enrolment if they were aged 16 or older.

But instead of being mandatory, younger voters could opt in but after doing so, would be required to vote.

Ms O’Connor said she was sure many young Tasmanians would take up the opportunity.

“I am certain plenty of engaged, bright young Tasmanians would relish the opportunity to cast a vote for their future in a state election,’’ she said.

Ms O’Connor cited many jurisdictions overseas that had already introduced laws to allow people younger than 18 to vote.

Parliament activity in Hobart. Picture Eddie Safarik

Ms O’Connor said in the public gallery were two students who had attended the recent school strike for climate rally in Hobart.

One of them was Lucian Beattie, whose speech the Greens leader quoted in parliament.

“This is truly a turning point. If our government and the world don’t act on climate change ... we are doomed ... if those in power really cared for us, they’d hear our voices that feel so helpless right now,’’ Lucian said in his speech.

Attorney-General Elise Archer. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Attorney-General Elise Archer said the government did not support lowering the voting age.

“We do support young people being engaged and encouraged to participate,’’ she said.

Ms Archer said a nationally consistent approach was required.

Ms Archer pointed to the implementation of the Premier’s Youth Advisory Council in 2019 that allowed young people to have their say, in addition to an annual session of youth parliament.

Labor shadow Attorney-General Ella Haddad said she did not disagree with the intention of the Greens’ Bill, but said it should be implemented nationally.

“I believe that young people are often the smartest people in the room,’’ she said.

But Ms Haddad said she believed the Bill could create inconsistency where 16 and 17-year-olds could vote at state elections but not at federal elections.

Bid to decriminliase e-scooters on footpaths ahead of rollout

Debate over TAFE, e-scooter, and pokies reform will rage in parliament this week as the Tasmanian lower house resumes its sitting.

Leader of the House Michael Ferguson said he expected to see some stiff opposition from Labor over the government’s TasTAFE reforms.

Labor have been loudly critical of the attempted “corporatisation” of TAFE, but Mr Ferguson maintained it would result in better outcomes for students and employers.

“This is a vital piece of legislation to bring TasTAFE into the modern era, to give it a businesslike approach so it can meet the needs of its users,” Mr Ferguson said.

BUSY: Michael Ferguson said pokies, TAFE, and e-scooter reform were on the table this week in parliament. Picture: Kenji Sato

“Labor are totally against jobs and training improvement, and because they are beholden to the unions they’ve been a real stick in the mud on this one.”

Also on the agenda this week will be decriminalising the use of e-scooters on public footpaths and certain roads.

It is technically illegal to use private e-scooters on Tasmanian footpaths under the current laws, however the rules are not heavily enforced in practice.

If the new legislation passes, it will clear the way for the companies Beam and Neuron to roll out their e-scooters across Hobart and Launceston.

However, Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White said the government was leaving out several key pieces of legislation, such as the long awaited politician donation reform.

Ms White said the government had left many important reforms to the end of the year, giving them precious little time to work through the issues.

“The government has left a lot of heavy lifting until the end of the year and we still haven’t got an idea of what they expect us to deal with in the lower house,” she said.

“There are a number of very important things we’d like to see the government act on, but we still have no idea when they’ll actually bring those matters in parliament and we are now running out of time this year to deal with those things.”

SCOOTING ALONG: Michael Ferguson says Tasmanians could expect to see e-scooters legalised on footpaths by around Summertime. Picture: Kenji Sato

Ms White said the government had some serious questions to answer about whether Tasmania’s hospital system was prepared to handle the border opening on December 15.

She said Tasmanian hospitals were already at “breaking point”, and the government’s own modelling anticipated thousands of new Covid cases in the coming months.

However Mr Ferguson dismissed those concerns as mere politicking, insisting they were fully prepared for the border reopening.

“I think Tasmanians are sick and tired of Rebecca White who 17 months ago demanded the borders be thrown open, who’s constantly cherry picking and playing political games with the pandemic,” Mr Ferguson said.

“We’ve got this, we’re working closely with our health professionals including Ambulance Tasmania with significant bed stocks to be opened if and when required.”

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Reply-all fail: Labor’s email gaffe reveals all, government says

A misdirected email from a senior Labor staffer has revealed the Opposition’s attempts to politicise the pandemic, the government says.

Rebecca White’s chief of staff Mel James accidentally hit reply instead of forward when formulating advice in response to a state government announcement.

Her email landed back in the Liberal media team’s inbox.

Labor leader Rebecca White. Question time in the Tasmanian parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“If we want to go harder we could say that we support reopening when it is safe to do so but to say they have a plan is a stretch,” the email said.

Minister Tourism, Hospitality and Events Sarah Courtney said the gaffe had exposed Labor.

“An embarrassing email gaffe yesterday from Labor Leader Rebecca White’s chief of staff has exposed their shameful politicising of the pandemic and clearly demonstrates they don’t have a position on our border reopening plan,” she said.

“This is further proof that Labor is grasping at straws for a shred of relevance, and that Rebecca White’s leadership is driven by desperately ‘going harder’ on the Government. No plans. No policies.

Minister Sarah Courtney. Question time in parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Labor must once and for all cease their reckless politicking and support our plan for reopening on December 15.

“For the sake of these businesses and hardworking Tasmanians who have been through an incredibly tough time, we simply cannot sit on our hands which is precisely what Labor is doing.”

A Labor spokesman said the party’s concerns about easing the state’s border restrictions were warranted.

“It’s reasonable to be cautious about Tasmania’s overburdened health system’s ability to cope with COVID given our health workforce is already under extraordinary pressure,” he said.

“We will continue to ask questions of the government on behalf of the Tasmanian community about the plan to reopen borders because the plan is light on detail.”

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