The Liberal National Coalition have admitted they don’t have a plan for training and TAFE in Victoria.
The Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Shadow Spokesperson for Training has not only admitted they still have no policy on training, but she has also been caught out misleading Victorians yet again.
The Coalition’s track record speaks for itself: they cut hundreds of millions of dollars out of the sector, crippling institutes, TAFEs posted record deficits, sacked staff and closed campuses, including Lilydale and Greensborough.
The Andrews Labor Government, however, is rescuing TAFE with initiatives like our $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund making sure every Victorian has access to the quality training they need to get a job.
We have reopened the Lilydale and Greensborough TAFE campuses, stemmed the decline of apprentices, targeted and removed dodgy training providers, and is making sure every Victorian has access to quality training.
The TAFE sector in Victoria is in its strongest financial position for years, with TAFEs recording a $44.7 million surplus in 2016, compared to a $52.5 million deficit under the Coalition in 2014 – a turnaround of $96.5 million.
The Labor Government’s contributions to TAFE increased from $524.5 million in 2015 to $576.9 million in 2016, an increase of $52.4 million.
In a desperate attempt to mislead Victorians, the shambolic Coalition has claimed funding has been cut to institutes.
Here are the facts: under Skills First, subsidy rates per student have either stayed the same or increased.
This reflects the real cost of training so that TAFEs and quality providers can continue to offer training rather than cut courses and close campuses like they did under the Coalition.
The Labor Government will continue investing in training and TAFE to make sure every Victorian, no matter their background or where they live, has access to high quality training to get the job they want.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney
“The Liberal National Coalition gutted TAFE in Government and are now misleading Victorians in Opposition.”
“Under the Coalition’s watch, they turned a blind eye to low quality training providers and let them take advantage of vulnerable students.”
“The numbers speak for themselves; investment in TAFE has increased under the Andrews Labor Government while the Coalition gutted TAFE funding until institutes were on their knees.”
“Victorians should be concerned that Steph Ryan can’t say what the Coalition would do differently to last time they were in Government.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020