Premier

Labor Government Funding Boost for SuniTAFE

04 February 2015

The Andrews Labor Government is rebuilding Victoria’s struggling TAFE system, with Sunraysia Institute of TAFE (SuniTAFE) receiving a $4 million boost from the first $20 million of the emergency TAFE Rescue Fund.

Visiting SuniTAFE’s Swan Hill campus, Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert said the emergency funding was the start of the Labor Government’s work to rebuild public TAFE institutes, after the previous Coalition Government’s TAFE cuts brought the sector to its knees.

The Coalition’s funding cuts have left Victorian TAFEs in financial turmoil, with the state’s 12 institutes forecasting a combined $71.8 million operating loss for last year.

Seven Victorian TAFEs in financial risk will receive a share of the first fast tracked $20 million from the $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund.

The fast-tracked funding will help struggling TAFEs rebuild and retain staff, and improve training, courses and job opportunities for students.

SuniTAFE’s $4 million in emergency funding will support the institute to rebuild and grow its operations and training delivery, reducing the need for staff redundancies.

A moratorium on TAFE staff redundancies imposed by Mr Herbert in December resulted in jobs being saved in TAFES across Victoria.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert

“The Coalition’s cuts gutted our TAFE system, making it so much harder for our kids to get skills, get a job and build a better life.”

“This is an emergency. With TAFEs running up more than $70 million in losses last year, there are TAFE campuses across Victoria in financial strife and our TAFE Rescue Fund will help to start the rebuilding process.

“This funding will end the cycle of job losses, campus closures and course cuts that have decimated institutes like SuniTAFE.”

“Our TAFEs play a crucial role in supporting regional communities like Sunraysia by delivering skills training that will grow jobs in key local industries such as food and agriculture.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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