Seaforth proposal diminishes education facilities

By Phil Bradley

Three 7-storey mixed use (commercial and residential) buildings are being considered for the Seaforth TAFE site.

NSW Government-owned Landcom has prepared the concept plan which includes 500 square metres of community meeting and education facilities, and refurbishment of Seaforth Library.

Manly Council special projects director Jim Hunter said the proposed community space was equivalent to about 10 classrooms.

Mr Hunter said how the space would be utilised by the community and the Department of Education and Training had not been determined.

Currently TAFE college buildings stand on the site and it is Federation's view that with some restoration work, the college could be re-opened to help address local skills shortages and student demand, which would be a much greater provision of public education.

The Landcom proposal is being considered only a few months after the Liberal Party's Manly State Electorate Conference endorsed a call for their party to reopen the TAFE site as an educational facility, and only six months before the state election.

Federation has reaffirmed its continued support for the retention of the Seaforth TAFE site for public education purposes and successfully sought the support of Unions NSW for the continuation of its six year old ban on the movement of vehicles, equipment, plant and materials on and off the Seaforth TAFE site, pending satisfactory negotiations between Unions NSW, Federation and the Minister about the future of the site.

Seaforth TAFE was closed at the end of 1999 despite a unanimous recommendation of a NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee that the proposed closure of the college not be implemented. This recommendation was ignored by the then Carr Government and subsequently was the subject of a 24 hour per day, seven days per week picket by teachers, students, unionists and community supporters. The site is still the subject of ongoing scrutiny to ensure that the site ban continues to be observed.

Phil Bradley is the Assistant General Secretary (Post School Education).

©2000-2002 NSWTF Online is a resource for teachers
provided by the NSW Teachers Federation.
[Authorisation of election comment] [Privacy]

http://www.nswtf.org.au/journal_extras/sealand.html
Last Modified: 14 Sep 2006