The Liberals’ fire sale of public land and assets to pay for the Macquarie Point Stadium folly has been foreshadowed, as Minister Ellis would not rule out looking to sell land and buildings owned and operated by TasTAFE.
Under questioning in Parliament, the Minister refused to directly address which campuses are in his sights for sale but indicated TAFE properties would be “streamlined”. In other words, TasTAFE buildings, possibly including some presently being used as childcare centres, will be sacrificed in the age of stadium austerity.
Minister Ellis refused to acknowledge that the flimsy 23-page TasTAFE 30-month Act Review identified efficiencies through divestment, and closing some campuses was informing these choices.
Training options for Tasmanians are being diminished and campus closures will further reduce education opportunities. Tasmania’s training sector shouldn’t suffer further because the Liberals want to invest in a stadium instead of TAFE infrastructure.
The Rockliff Government needs to come clean and tell Tasmanians which campuses, buildings and land, are to go under the auctioneer’s hammer to fund their stadium.
