Broken promises an issue for all

All Federation members are called to join the campaign on TAFE fees, writes LINDA SIMON.

The State Government proposes that TAFE fees will rise by 9 per cent. In proposing TAFE fee rises of 9 per cent (6.5 per cent plus CPI) in most courses, the Government has broken two undertakings given by the then Education Minister, Andrew Refshauge, when he introduced TAFE fees in 2004:

• that TAFE fees in future, would only increase by CPI
• that the fee for apprentices and trainees would be capped at $350 for their apprenticeship/traineeship courses regardless of the qualification level undertaken. Premier Morris Iemma stated prior to the state elections this year that the Government had capped fees for apprentices and trainees at around $380 per year.

The TAFE Teachers Association has undertaken considerable lobbying of State Members of Parliament, and both the Greens and the Liberal/National Party Opposition will pursue these issues in Parliament and through Budget Estimates.

TAFE TA branches are meeting and carrying resolutions indicating how appalled they are at the proposed fee increases, sending these resolutions to the State Minister for Education and Training, and indicating their preparedness to take both political and industrial action.

A resolution was carried at Federation Council on September 15 which stated: "Federation will fight these proposed increases politically and industrially, including lobbying state Members of Parliament, contacting community and industry groups and taking industrial action if necessary, including possible statewide all sector industrial action".

Whilst TAFE TA members are appalled at the fee increases in general and their impact on students, they are particularly concerned at the introduction of a fee of $50 for benefit holders, and the increase of the cost of Certificate III level courses to $654. Certificate III is HSC and equivalent level, and demonstrates in particular the Government's hypocrisy in stating in its election policy announcement that there will be "a guaranteed training place at TAFE for all under 18's who are either not at work or at high school", yet at the same time making TAFE courses inaccessible for many of these young people.

All Federation members are called to join the campaign on TAFE fees, as it is ultimately about the maintenance of public education and its accessibility to the people of this state.

Linda Simon is the TAFE TA Secretary.

TAFE fee increases over the years

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Last Modified: 25 Oct 2007