Page 3242 - Week 12 - Thursday, 19 November 1992
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The institute's current title is firmly associated in the public mind with manual or "tech" courses, with an implicit assumption that these do not provide advanced or important skills. Such misconceptions can be economically and educationally damaging and place obstacles in the way of institute students and graduates. The institute is already working to sustain and extend trade courses and to emphasise the importance of further or continuing education. Those endeavours will be further enhanced by an institute of technology which is committed to the traditional TAFE role and the continuing developing of skills across the whole continuum of vocational education.
The image of the institute is even more critical, particularly in export markets. Offshore, where the acronym "TAFE" is unknown or not well received, the term "Institute of Technology" is more easily recognised and better understood. Similarly, the acronym "ACT" is not well understood, particularly internationally. However, "Canberra" is well recognised, both offshore and onshore, as the name of the national capital. Therefore, the institute and the ACT region will be much better served by using "Canberra" in its title.
The second aim of this Bill concerns the structure and title of the institute advisory committee. Currently, the committee consists of seven members, representing unions, employers, students and staff. Since the institute is moving to achieve international standards of best corporate management practice, the Government believes that it is essential that the institute be guided by recognised expertise in fields such as export development, financial, legal and property management. As an associated change, the amendments will include the chair of the ACT Vocational Training Authority as a formal, ex officio, member of the institute advisory committee. Although the VTA chair has, with the concurrence of successive Ministers, participated in past meetings, it is desirable to recognise this membership formally in the legislation. Consequently, the Bill provides for an increase in the committee's membership by four, and changes its name to the Canberra Institute of Technology Advisory Council. Consultation has shown that the proposed changes have broad support from institute advisers and stakeholders. These changes will have no impact upon the budget of the ACT; in fact, they create significant potential for increase in commercial revenue and, thus, employment and development prospects for Canberra.
The Bill includes two minor supplementary changes: Firstly, the removal from the Act of several outdated sections relating to the transitional arrangements for establishing the institute in 1988 and to financial reporting and audit immediately following the introduction of self-government. The second change will increase, from $100,000 to $250,000, the limit on the value of contracts which may be entered into by the institute without ministerial approval. This new limit will modestly streamline the institute's operational processes while maintaining ministerial approval for major contracts. It is considered appropriate to the institute's scale of operations, as well as the limits applicable to other comparable ACT agencies. The Government intends that all these changes will take effect from 1 January 1993.
This Bill recognises the high standards of this Canberra tertiary institution. It will ensure that students receive better recognition for their achievements and will enhance the ACT's already national reputation for quality education. I present the explanatory memorandum for the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr Cornwell) adjourned.
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