The Greens stand with the AEU, TasTAFE teachers and students and members of the community rallying against course cuts. The Liberal Government must ensure these cuts don’t go ahead and confirm no campuses will be shut down.
TasTAFE’s arts and laboratory technology courses provide vital education and training to students. But these courses are going to be axed and valued teachers sacked if the Liberals’ funding cuts go ahead.
TasTAFE should be strengthened, not stripped. It’s simply not good enough that Tasmanians wanting to study in these areas will be forced to go to the mainland.
The Liberals’ funding cuts to these courses will have devastating results for both Tasmania’s creative community and health and education systems. A shortage in laboratory technicians would see important pathology results stalled and a reduction in school pracs.
It’s clear from the number of students rallying and contacting MPs offices that there is substantial demand for these courses moving forward. The Greens understand there has been a wait list for enrolment in some of the cut arts courses – perhaps the low enrolment rate was due to the places being so limited, not due to a lack of interest.
The Liberal Government needs to be honest with Tasmanians – what further cuts are on the table? Will campuses be next, as was identified as a possible ‘efficiency’ in the TasTAFE Act Review?
The Liberals should be investing in Tasmanians’ futures – not cutting funding to courses to pay for their billion-dollar stadium. It’s time they got their priorities straight, and reverse the funding cuts to TasTAFE.
