Page 3184 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 2013
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However, these matters were first raised over two years ago. I know there has been much work done, many interviews conducted and reports made. But today there is still no public and detailed apology to the several dozen staff and students who made submissions to the Commissioner for Public Administration and whose lives—and careers in some cases—were irreparably damaged.
That was CIT’s horrible year and this year there are still some other issues that I would like to bring to this Assembly—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr Corbell and Mr Barr, could you keep the conversation a little bit softer please or go outside?
MR DOSZPOT: Madam Speaker, thank you for bringing the attention of Mr Barr and Mr Corbell to this issue. This is a very serious issue that reflects quite badly on Mr Barr as an education minister. The least he could do is pay some respect to the people whose lives have been so damaged instead of laughing and joking as he has been for the last five minutes.
The other issue that I would just like to bring up briefly about the CIT is that there seems to be a very, very large increase in CIT fees across, depending on whose evidence you wish to believe, one or more courses for one or more reasons for one or more periods of permanence. But I will focus on the graphic design course because it is this course that appears to have the most number of unanswered questions.
Reading through the evidence taken during the hearings, one has to wonder what it is that CIT is trying to achieve or perhaps trying to hide from public scrutiny or who it is that they are trying to protect. The facts are these: the graphic design course at CIT is a diploma course with an advanced diploma also offered, similar to and of equal reputation to courses offered at TAFEs in other states around Australia. It is no better and no worse. A similar course, but at a degree level, is offered just up the road at the University of Canberra. The course is also a reputable one, following appropriate education standards and delivering quality outcomes.
If you enrolled in the CIT graphic design course in 2012, it would have cost you around $700 per semester over three semesters, with an option of an additional semester for an advanced diploma. In 2013 the same course costs $12,540 for three semesters, with an additional $9,900 for the advanced diploma one semester addition. There are no discounts for students on youth allowance.
By comparison, a bachelor of graphic design at the University of Canberra costs a total of $17,604 for a three-year degree. New South Wales TAFE offer a diploma of graphic design for an annual fee of $1,432, but students on youth allowance pay only $100 a year. By comparison, the advanced diploma in hotel and resort management at CIT runs over four semesters with a total tuition fee of $12,500.
When challenged on costs, CIT had a number of varying comments and rationales. Variously throughout questions on notice, estimates hearings and elsewhere, CIT has claimed that the increase is due to government cutbacks and to the advanced diplomas
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