Australian Education Union

AEU Media Release

June 8, 2001

"The Australian Education Union (AEU) is disappointed at the decision by state training ministers to consent to a new federal funding agreement that provides less than is needed to expand access to TAFE and ensure quality training programmes," said AEU Federal TAFE President, Ms Pat Forward today.

"State ministers agreed to a new federal funding deal because they are desperate," said Ms Forward. "They have been held to ransom by Dr Kemp for almost six months."

"The real needs of the system were identified by state ministers as $150 million. Most disappointing in the agreement is the exclusion of the requirement for industry to increase their own investment in training. This will result in a huge strain on public vocational education and training funds," said Ms Forward.

"Industry will now make all the major decisions about the direction of vocational education in Australia without sharing any of the funding responsibilities. The AEU will continue to campaign in the lead-up to and during the federal election to ensure TAFE receives more funding and will seek discussions with federal Labor, Democrats and Greens to ensure TAFE is adequately funded," said Ms Forward.

"Federal Labor now has a significant opportunity to provide TAFE with adequate funding and to guarantee places for students who have been excluded from TAFE because of the Howard government's starvation funding diet. The Howard Government's funding proposal is too little too late," said Ms Forward.

Contacts:
AEU Federal TAFE President, Pat Forward on mob. 0425 743 954
AEU Federal TAFE Secretary, Rex Hewett on mob. 0418 326 437
AEU Federal President, Denis Fitzgerald on mob. 0416 254 154

This page last updated 12 June 2001

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