TAFE NSW

Mr PETER DRAPER (Tamworth) [1.37 p.m.]: TAFE employees, local businesses and employer representatives plus other interested people who are gravely concerned that the Federal Government is proposing to make all funding in the vocational education and training sector contestable and to implement a student loans scheme met in Tamworth last Friday. The proposal has come as a great shock to many local people, who see it clearly as a move to privatise TAFE. The feedback I am receiving is united and unequivocal—leave our TAFE alone. At the meeting it was pointed out that morale was already low among TAFE staff due to constant restructuring, and there was a feeling that the whole system is continually being dumbed down.

TAFE is held in very high regard in all of the communities I have the honour of representing, and the investment that recently has been made locally in TAFE, plus some of its significant achievements, have been brought to the fore to raise public awareness about TAFE's role in the community. In Gunnedah, the Try-A-Trade initiative was launched last week. The Gunnedah District Development Board, Careers Network and the BHP Billiton Coal Project developed this project with the aim of encouraging the next generation of young apprentices to seek information about possible trade career choices. It involves year 9 students from Gunnedah, Quirindi and Narrabri, and offered those potential apprentices an opportunity to experience up to three trade areas, and to discuss career options with current apprentices and qualified tradesmen.

During the official opening of Try-A-Trade, another event took place that really highlighted the value of our TAFE system. Fourteen year 10 students graduated with their Certificate I in Metals and Engineering after undertaking a Career Engagement Program at Gunnedah TAFE. Importantly, they have already secured, or are close to obtaining, local employment to further their apprenticeships. Until recently, most of these young people would have had to leave Gunnedah to find employment. I congratulate those fourteen students: Matt Zelinsky, Craig Paterson, Jackson Foster, Matthew Baker, Luke Smith, Robert McKinnon, Zakarii Insch, Joe Smyth, Joshua Mapperson, Matthew Buck, Brayden Smith, Daniel McKinnon, Gus Etheridge and Boyde Campbell on their commitment in achieving these wonderful results. I also thank the local Gunnedah businesses that are providing the apprenticeship opportunities. Most importantly, I acknowledge the students' TAFE coordinator, Steve Wicks, who won Trade Teacher of the Year—Manufacturing at the Institute of Trade Schools Excellence Awards 2008.

On Monday last week I was honoured to officially open the new $6.3 million light automotive and electrotechnology facilities at the Tamworth campus of the New England Institute. After praising both the State and Federal governments for cooperatively investing in the Tamworth TAFE to address nationwide skills shortages, I find it extremely ironic that today I am joining with concerned residents to fight for the very existence of TAFE as we know it. Total enrolment at the Tamworth campus increased by 15 per cent between 2006 and 2007, with year-to-date enrolments for 2008 showing a further 7 per cent growth over last year. Tamworth campus is our major centre for trade training across a range of apprenticeship areas and it is the only provider of trade training for light automotive and electrotechnology apprentices in New England and north-west New South Wales—both these areas experience significant skill shortages.

Reassuringly, apprenticeship enrolments in automotive trades have grown 19.6 per cent between 2005 and 2008. The new facilities at Tamworth campus should help continue that trend in the 24 automotive courses offered. The electrotechnology section provides technical education for 300 students from trade apprenticeships, post trade, prevocational and school-based study in electrical, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics and electrical engineering courses. Electrotechnology enrolments at the Tamworth campus have grown by 75 per cent between 2005 and 2008 and long-term enrolment growth prospects remain positive. It would be an absolute disaster to even contemplate moving to a system focused solely on delivering courses that make a profit. Students would bear the brunt of these reforms, paying higher costs with fewer choices, as the burden of vocational education and training [VET] funding is shifted from the Government to the public.

Already, competition on price has damaged TAFE—we have seen the ill-considered foray into the trade education system by the former Federal Government—and it is further exacerbating skills shortages in some of our traditional trades. With for-profit private providers cherry picking the most lucrative courses, TAFE institutes will have to cut costs in crucial areas to win their share of a shrinking pot. They will have to employ more casual teachers—further undermining students' learning—while TAFE institutes in regional and rural areas will simply struggle to survive. It has always been hard to maintain large class sizes in country campuses, and escalating student fees will compound the problem.

Local computer courses are no longer available, and whole sections have been closed in areas vital to our future, including bricklaying in Tamworth, and horticulture in Gunnedah. In my opinion, the only profit that should be made through education is the profit to the individual that comes from gaining knowledge and skills. The loud message from country communities is that TAFE must not be allowed to become a victim of an ideological and ill-considered push towards a privatised system.