Education union lodges official complaint with Integrity Commission over TAFE recommendation process
Plans to turn TAFE into a government business enterprise are a “massive concern”, with a union lodging an official complaint over the recommendation, saying it “just stinks”.
Tasmania
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THE Integrity Commission has been asked to investigate links between a lobby group and the chairman of a council set up to make recommendations about the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
This week, it was revealed there was just one submission made to the Premier’s Economic and Social Advisory Council backing Liberal Party plans to turn TAFE into a government business enterprise.
Out of 178 submissions, the only one suggesting wholesale change to TAFE was made by the NCK Evers Network, which was founded by a group including PESRAC chief Don Challen.
Australian Education Union Tasmania TAFE vice-president Damian von Samorzewski has lodged a complaint with the Integrity Commission, claiming it was a conflict that should have been declared during the PESRAC process.
“It just stinks,” Mr von Samorzewski said.
“I don’t care if it’s the Greens, Labor or whoever, it doesn’t worry me.
“It’s just the fact that ‘let’s play by some rules’.”
Mr von Samorzewski said it was a “massive concern”.
An AEU analysis of submissions to PESRAC showed TAFE was not mentioned at all by the Housing Industry Association, Master Builders, Civil Contractors Federation, or other peak groups.
Others praised the government-owned training provider or called for more funding.
When quizzed about the matter on Thursday, Premier Peter Gutwein said PESRAC was well qualified.
“There were nine Tasmanian community leaders that were involved in PESRAC that sat around that table and came up with these recommendations,” he said.
“This was a group of people that met with and received feedback over time from 3500 Tasmanians and they have made what I think is a very sensible recommendation.
“One of the biggest challenges we face is ensuring that we have enough skilled and trained young people ... to take on the jobs that are being created in our growing economy right now.
“We need to ensure that our TasTAFE is fit for purpose and nimble enough to provide the training and the skills that Tasmanians need to grasp those jobs that our economy is providing.”
Labor leader Rebecca White said underfunding was TAFE’s biggest problem.
“The Liberals’ privatisation agenda completely undermines the ability of the TAFE workforce to do their job and students get the best outcomes,” she said.
But Mr Gutwein said TasTAFE would not be privatised.
Only one backer of controversial TAFE plan
LIBERAL plans for TAFE were backed by a lone submission to the PESRAC review written by a lobby group founded by the review chairman himself, the Australian Education Union says.
The government want to turn TAFE into a government business enterprise to “increase flexibility”.
But an Australian Education Union analysis of submissions to the Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council shows TAFE was not mentioned at all by the Housing Industry Association, Master Builders, Civil Contractors Federation, or other peak groups.
Others praised the government-owned training provider or called for more funding.
Out of 178 submissions, the only one suggesting wholesale change was made by the NCK Evers Network — best known for its failed proposal for a $3.2 billion cross-Hobart tunnel.
The network was founded a group including by PESRAC review chief Don Challen.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff claimed that a TasTAFE overhaul was the “most overwhelmingly supported recommendation”.
But Australian Education Union Tasmania TAFE President Simon Bailey said that was demonstrably untrue.
“The Liberal Party’s TAFE privatisation is a sham based on one submission to the Premier’s conflicted COVID recovery panel,” he said.
“The broad consultation and support for TasTAFE privatisation claimed by Peter Gutwein is a single lobby group — whose only other contribution was a failed toll road tunnel proposal rejected two years ago.”
“The game is up for Peter Gutwein’s TAFE privatisation – his policy prevents him from keeping any promises on TAFE and there was never any support for it.”
Labor leader Rebecca White said underfunding was TAFE’s biggest problem.
“The Liberals privatisation agenda completely undermines the ability of the TAFE workforce to do their job and students to get the best outcomes,” she said.
“They’re talking about a cost recovery model, and somebody has to pay for that and it will be students and business who have to foot the bill, the Labor Party will back TAFE, we will rebuild TAFE and we will stand against Peter Gutwein’s privatisation agenda because that is not in the best interest of our economy or students.”
TAFE construction teacher and AEU delegate Ben Wright said teachers were puzzled by the model PESRAC came up with.
“I think most of the teachers that we talked to in the last couple of weeks are pretty shocked and confused at the news that in the PESRAC report saying a lot of teachers and a lot of areas in TasTAFE aren’t flexible enough,” he said.
“I’d really like to see an example of how they sort of see being a little bit more flexible, how they see that working.”
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff denied the government’s plan involved TAFE being privatised.
“TasTAFE will always remain the public training provider in public ownership,” he said.
“With nearly $100 million in commitments for TasTAFE, it is clear we are not talking about privatisation – any suggestion otherwise is malicious and politically motivated.”
A Liberals spokesman said PESRAC consisted of nine “very experienced members” that represented a broad cross-section of the community, and it was “disappointing that the AEU is attacking these highly respected Tasmanians”.
“The consultation program undertaken by PESRAC is one of the most comprehensive in recent decades, with public submissions, roundtables and industry workshops,” the spokesman said.
“In the Council’s recommendations there was overwhelming support for TAFE to have greater operational flexibility to ensure training meets the needs of participants, industry and business – so that more Tasmanian apprentices and tradies have the opportunity to secure local jobs.
“Labor is deliberately misleading Tasmanians with its claims as we have made it clear TAFE will always remain in public hands under a majority Gutwein Liberal Government.
“Under Labor and the Greens, Tasmania lost 4000 apprentices and TAFE was left with a $5 million black hole. We’ve rebuilt it and properly funded it, ensuring young Tasmanians can get the start they need right here in Tasmania.”
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