Ms BADGER – Minister, who made the decision not to include the 12 courses that are losing their subsidies that is resulting in 18 staff being made redundant two days before Christmas? Who made the decision that those 12 courses in the deed between Skills Tasmania and TasTAFE would no longer be receiving the subsidies?
Mr ELLIS – Thanks, Ms Badger. I outlined the process before but I’m happy to do so again because it’s largely a shared decision through a process. The Skills Plan guides the investment into areas that are critical to meeting Tasmania’s future workforce needs –
Ms BADGER – In the interests of time, perhaps I could further clarify, minister. I just want to know whether it was you or TasTAFE specifically. I understand that there was a process, but we’ve had multiple briefings on this and other members have been part of those and we’re receiving inconsistent information. It’s important for the students and staff to understand ultimately who made that decision.
Mr ELLIS – As I mentioned, it’s a shared decision and it’s worked through a process. Part of that is the Skills Plan, which is the strategic basis for the areas of priority that we need to look into. That plan is, of course, approved by me. It sets out the government priorities including health care, energy, building and construction, food security and other key matters. TasTAFE then put forward a proposal to Skills Tasmania to remove 12 qualifications from the subsidised list of products under the deed of purchasing agreement. That was then accepted, and, as I mentioned before, the proposal was informed by the review, so it’s a shared decision, it’s a process that’s worked through, and that’s how we need to approach all of the training we undertake and the support we provide for learners.
Ms BADGER – To clarify before I move on to my second question, TasTAFE put that recommendation to you, minister, to sign off on, but did they do so under your direction initially?
Mr ELLIS – I mentioned, Ms Badger, that they put forward the proposal to Skills Tasmania to remove the 12 qualifications under the deed of purchasing and that was then accepted. I’m happy to pass over to TasTAFE if there’s anything further to add.
Ms BADGER – My clarification is whether TasTAFE initiated this off their own back or if they were directed by the minister.
Mr ELLIS – As I keep mentioning, Ms Badger, we’ve set out the Skills Plan, which is really clear about the –
Ms BADGER – Thanks, minister, I understand how the Skills Plan works. This isn’t part of it. I’d like to hear from TasTAFE.
Mr ELLIS – It is part of it and a key part of it us saying to TasTAFE, ‘These are the areas of priority need –
Ms BADGER – So you did say it to TasTAFE?
Mr ELLIS – It’s setting out the areas of priority need.
Ms BADGER – So you did say it to TasTAFE?
Mr ELLIS – Sorry? It’s setting out the areas of priority need for the state –
Ms BADGER – I understand how it works, minister.
Mr ELLIS – I’m glad to hear that, Ms Badger. It sets out the areas of priority need; we then put that to TasTAFE. TasTAFE has then worked through a proposal that they’ve then put back to Skills Tasmania, which was accepted. I’m not sure if there’s anything further you wanted to add, from a TasTAFE perspective?
Mr GARDNER – That’s exactly as the process worked. We made our own determinations based on our own data, and we made a recommendation to Skills Tasmania.
Ms BADGER – Minister, this morning the Education minister said that she had had no consultation with you whatsoever on these cuts. Why didn’t you consult with your colleague?
Mr ELLIS – Of course we work through a process. We’ve notified the process for these 12 courses; we’ve then worked through examining those. Our commitment for the next steps for DECYP training, and any other workplaces that need lab tech training, is to work through ‑ because we do provide government support for a range of different providers, including many that provide in-workplace training and assessment. I mentioned the three before and there are others that have those qualifications on their skills list.
We will, of course, work with all organisations and all learners that would like to receive lab tech training, just as we do currently. Noting that the majority of training that’s provided for lab tech training is provided by those specialised RTOs.
Ms BADGER – My question was just around why you didn’t consult with them. Were you not aware of their concerns around recruitment issues as a result of this?
Mr ELLIS – Thanks, Ms Badger. Obviously, we made the notification, we’ve then been consulting, and now a decision has been made. Our commitment is to continue working with them and make sure that support is provided for lab tech training to learners so they can continue to receive that training here in Tasmania.
