Page 312 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 1991
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On what may be a minor point, the most recent ACT Vocational Training Authority report does not give the same split-up, male as against female, as the report the year before for the now defunct ACT Apprenticeship Board. I would hope that it does go back to that method of recording, unless I have missed it somewhere, because we need to have that drawn to our attention at all times.
These are particularly relevant matters because recommendation 8 of the report indicates the importance of equity of access to TAFE services. We can see that there are the most severe difficulties for women to be sure of their access to equity in these courses. It is a matter that I believe the Administration will give their attention to now and in future years.
The change that is occurring in the level of government funding to TAFE is coming fairly rapidly. There is no doubt that it is imposing considerable stress on TAFE and that it will do so into the future. Recently I asked the Chief Minister a question about the proportion of funds that the ACT has been providing and the source of funds from other sources. In 1988-89 the ACT Government appropriation for TAFE constituted 85 per cent of its budget. In the next financial year, 1989-90, the ACT Government appropriation constituted 79.9 per cent of its budget. That is a decline of 6.1 per cent, so it is a quite substantial move. The Chief Minister, in his response to the paper, referred to the triennial agreement between TAFE and the Government about funding - it was principally about funding - and that same movement continues. As I read the figures, from 1990-91 to the next financial year of 1991-92, that decline, which began before this Government was elected, will be a further 6 to 7 per cent, and then a further 6 per cent into the next financial year. So I think we can see that there is a considerable imposition on TAFE.
I understand that TAFE believes that it can accept that and will find funds from other sources. I hope that in these times it is able to do so because it does need to continue with the work, for the benefit of both the students and the community, as I have indicated. It is as significant a development in the education sphere as any that has occurred in this town, so we ought to be sensitive to the needs of TAFE and to its students and maybe take heed if they find that it is a program that is more than they can sustain.
It is difficult to attract entrepreneurial funds or support from industry at any time and if, in the next two financial years, TAFE is not able to sustain that decline in Government subvention I think we ought to listen to its needs and assist it on its way.
The recommendations of that working party have received a response from the Chief Minister. I do not think he has responded in every respect to the 13 or 14 recommendations
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