NSW Labor to rescue TAFE as students hit with prohibitive TAFE fees

Thousands of students in my electorate have been hit by the Liberals’ with massive increases to course fees kick in at the start of the term this year.

Students would benefit from an affordable and well-funded technical and vocational training system under Labor’s $100 million TAFE Rescue Plan if Labor is elected in 3 weeks time.

Within one term, a Labor Government will:

• Abolish the Liberal’s ‘Smart and Skilled’ privatisation program;
• Reverse the Baird Government’s TAFE fee hikes;
• Guarantee funding to TAFE by capping the amount of public funds that can be contestable by private operators at 30 per cent; and
• Commission a landmark review of education and training in NSW after Year 10.

TAFE is critical for people looking to finish high school, get further education or re-train for a new career.

Many people across my electorate who rely on a strong TAFE system to get the skills they need to find a rewarding job.

But since 2011, the Liberal/National Government has cut $1.7 billion from education and training, sacked 1100 TAFE teachers and support staff, cut TAFE courses and slashed class contact times and drastically increased student fees by up to thousands of dollars. 

The Liberals’ damaging reforms have seen courses cut and staff sacked – and as of this week, fees are rising significantly. I know people in ELECTORATE who have had to take hefty loans to complete their courses – or have made the tough choice not to go back to TAFE at all.

Labor knows that quality education is the key to a good job and a fulfilling life – that’s why Labor will invest in training and make TAFE affordable.

Labor will reverse the Liberals’ fee increases, wind back the privatisation of TAFE and stop the course cuts and fee hikes, so TAFE is accessible for all.” 

Key Points: 

• As technology changes, equipping the workforce with the skills required for the jobs of today and those of the future is an urgent challenge for NSW. We need a strong TAFE system to train our young people, to prepare them for fulfilling jobs. 
• Since 2011, the Liberal/National Government has cut $1.7 billion from education and training, sacked 1100 TAFE teachers and support staff, cut TAFE courses, slashed class contact times and drastically increased student fees by up to thousands of dollars. 
• These impacts to TAFE are a result of the ‘Smart and Skilled’ program of market-based vocational education and training where TAFE must compete for students and funding with private providers.Within the first term of government, Labor will abolish the ‘Smart and Skilled’ privatisation program, reverse the Liberals’ TAFE fee hikes, guarantee funding to TAFE by capping the amount of public funds that can be contestable by private operators at 30 per cent; and commission a landmark review of education and training in NSW after Year 10.