Denis Napthine’s TAFE cuts have pushed South West TAFE to the brink, Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney said today.
The South West TAFE Annual Report revealed that the institution had a deficit of $3.4 million in 2013.
The Annual Report also showed that over the past year the equivalent of 49 full-time jobs have been lost at SW TAFE and over a thousand less students.
In 2013 there were 600 less 15 to 24 year old students and 430 less 25 to 64 year old students at the TAFE from the previous year.
In the 2013 year alone, there was a $119 million cut to TAFE operational funding by the Napthine Government, according to the Auditor General.
Since $1.2 billion in TAFE cuts were announced in 2012, thousands of jobs are gone, course fees have increased, courses were scrapped and campuses were forced to close.
Quotes Attributable
“Under Denis Napthine, our TAFEs are in financial crisis and our kids can’t get the skills they need.”
“When jobs are disappearing and businesses are shutting down, the last thing we need is more TAFE campuses to close.”
“Denis Napthine has no idea of the damage he’s done to TAFE campuses and communities across Victoria, especially in the south west.”