Page 310 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 1991
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T.A.F.E. SERVICES - PROVISION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Ministerial Statement and Paper
[COGNATE PAPERS:
T.A.F.E. - RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW THE PROVISION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - Ministerial Statement and Paper]
Debate resumed from 29 May 1990, on motion by Mr Kaine:
That the Assembly takes note of the papers.
MR SPEAKER: I understand that it is the wish of the Assembly to debate order of the day No. 5, executive business, and order of the day No. 6, executive business, cognately. That being the case, I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 5 they may also address their remarks to order of the day No. 6.
MR WOOD (3.18): Mr Speaker, the TAFE has a central role in continuing the education of young people and the not so young people in the ACT. Of particular interest to this Assembly is its role also to develop a skilled work force to sustain industry and commerce in this city and to encourage economic and social development.
The report which we are debating and to which the Chief Minister has responded is more specifically about how to cut costs and to raise more money. Broadly, the report is about the notion of making the TAFE more self-reliant. It is a move in a direction that I know has been coming for some time. There is nothing entirely new about this and, indeed, TAFE, for some years now, has been seeking to gain more money from sources other than government.
I believe that there are several principles that we all would agree to concerning the operation of TAFE. It has to meet the educational needs of students in particular but also the needs of the community because this city, perhaps more than many, needs a highly qualified work force and it has to be more efficient. I think we would acknowledge that. The paper accurately reflects the pressures on TAFE. It shows that there will be a continued reduction in government funding for TAFE at the same time as there is a continuing demand for courses. We have seen in the last week or so a very large number of people who wanted entry to TAFE but have not been able to gain it. We are all aware of the move for more private enterprise funding for TAFE. The impact of these pressures is a loss of courses and a very considerable decline in enrolments.
I will stress that that has not occurred under the Kaine Government. It has been a pressure and an outcome over quite a long period. Figures I have here show that in 1985 there were 30,000 people enrolled in TAFE courses; in 1989
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