News

Skills Training and Apprenticeships TAFE

Labor’s desperate blame game puts training crisis bacon the agenda

06 June 2018

Daniel Andrews’ Training Minister Gayle Tierney has accused the adult and community sector of telling “porky pies”, after providers raised concerns about being excluded from offering free courses.

Ms Tierney couldn’t explain this week who she had consulted with on offering free TAFE courses, a program that is offered through TAFE only, excluding not-for-profit adult and community education providers from eligibility.

Ms Tierney failed to respond when she was asked in Parliament to confirm whether she had consulted with ACEVic as the peak body for adult and community education providers.

The Minister’s confession that Labor’s latest State Budget “is an injection primarily into government priority areas” confirms adult education providers are not a priority for the Andrews Labor Government.

Adult and community education providers train more than 25,700 people each year and work with some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians.

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Training, Skills and Apprenticeships Steph Ryan

The Andrews Labor Government has admitted that not-for-profit adult and community education providers are not a priority for them.

Daniel Andrews’ decision to leave adult and community education providers out means some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians can’t even access free TAFE.

Instead of insulting the sector by accusing them of telling “porky pies”, Daniel Andrews and Gayle Tierney should be talking to the sector about making training easier for the 25,700 Victorians it represents.