‘Wrecking ball’: TasTAFE becomes independent under new law passed in state parliament

Vehemently opposed by teachers, unions and Labor, the government says a new structure will prepare TasTAFE to train the workforce of the future. LATEST >>

LEGISLATION making TasTAFE independent of government and putting its operations under the direction of a board has passed state parliament.

Plans for TasTAFE were the subject of a concerted campaign by Labor and the teachers’ union prior to the May state election, amid claims it amounted to privatisation.

Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth Sarah Courtney said the

legislation was intended to put the vocational training organisation in a stronger position to meet the demands of the future.

Education and Training Minister Sarah Courtney speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart.

“Tasmanian students deserve to access the training they need, when and where they need, and it is this Government’s firm commitment that course fees will remain low and heavily subsidised,” she said.

“We have also firmly committed that no staff will be worse off, and the legislation and Fair Work provisions include crucial protections for the pay and conditions of TasTAFE staff.

“Underpinning this new structure for TasTAFE is a $98.6 million investment for 100 more teachers, new and improved training facilities, and better access to training for regional and rural Tasmanians.”

Tafe building on Campbell Street.

The legislation passed state parliament just after 6pm on Thursday night.

Labor’s TAFE spokesman Josh Willie described the bill as “a wrecking ball” and its passage as “a tragic day for public education”.

“This is little more than an industrial dispute dressed up as reform and it will result in a loss of structured, high quality training which will be bad for students,” he said.

“Ms Courtney is determined to gut TAFE and now – tragically – staff and students will see the results of that.

The Australian Education Union’s Tasmanian president David Genford was critical of the members of the Legislative Council who voted in favour of the legislation.

He said they had been briefed by teachers who had outlined their grave concerns about TAFE’s future.

Labor's Josh Willie speaks to the media at State Parliament in Hobart.

“Members of parliament have today let down Tasmanians,” he said.

“There is simply no excuse for turning a decades-old important, award-winning public education provider into a private, corporatised, money-hungry organisation.

And Unions Tasmania secretary Jessica Munday said she was appalled the legislation had snuck through parliament on the last parliamentary sitting day of the year.

“We are deeply disappointed that our parliamentary leaders believed the Liberal’s spin.

“The main aim of these laws is to push workers out of the public service and into a private sector jurisdiction where their jobs can be easily contracted off and casualised.”

The new arrangements will come into effect on 1 July 2022.

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