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Sarah Courtney,Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth
David O’Byrne either deliberately has his head in the sand or simply does not understand the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s strong Plan for TasTAFE.
In a second day of bumbling questions in Parliament, Mr O’Byrne continued his trademark fearmongering and deliberate attempts to mislead.
It is a matter of public record that the Tasmanian majority Liberal Government will invest an additional $98.5 million into TasTAFE to employ 100 more teachers, new buildings and campus upgrades, an online campus and expanded rural and regional access.
We are investing in TasTAFE to meet the needs of young people and jobseekers so that they have the best chance of getting a job.
Sarah Courtney,Minister for Education
Education is the single most powerful driver for improving economic and social outcomes in Tasmania including health, life expectancy, happiness and productivity.
That’s why we have committed $7.5 billion over the forward estimates, with an additional $204 million in capital works to support teachers, students and improve education infrastructure in our schools.
And we know our Plan is working, with recently released direct Retention Data from the Department of Education’s Term 1 Census showing that the number of students progressing from Year 10 to Year 12 in 2021 has increased by almost five percentages points, to 76.1% since 2019, the highest on record.
Tasmanian Labor
Skills and Training Minister Sarah Courtney is unable or unwilling to rule out cuts to courses, campus closures and job losses among teachers under her woefully misguided plan to privatise TAFE.
Shadow Education Minister Josh Willie said three times today in the State Parliament Ms Courtney refused to dismiss widespread concerns that TAFE would be gutted under her plan to transform the institution into a GBE.
“In South Australia where there has been a similar flawed plan, there were cuts to 20 courses in areas of high need, such as childcare, aged care and disability,” Mr Willie said.
“And this year in that state the axe will fall on other courses including retail, dental, performing arts, photography, rural operations, counselling and work health and safety.