The NSW Labor Opposition has grave concerns that the State Government is gearing up for the sale of TAFE campuses, following the announcement that it is adding a professional ‘asset stripper’ to its senior management ranks.
TAFE NSW is hiring a Divestment Portfolio Manager on a $180,000 salary to look at the disposal of properties across the state.
The appointment has raised the spectre of campus sales as the next step in the Liberal National Government’s campaign to denigrate TAFE at the expense of private vocational colleges.
At Budget Estimates this year, the Minister refused to rule out the sale or closure of TAFE colleges across NSW.
Since the Liberals and Nationals came to office, 5700 teachers and support staff have been sacked and course fees have become unaffordable for students. Further, an internal TAFE leaked document in September shows overall total enrolments at TAFE are down by 11.2 per cent to 404,456 in the year to 16 July 2017.
Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Skills Prue Car:
“Hiring a gun asset stripper is just the next step in the Liberal National government’s unrelenting program of privatisation and asset sales.
“Thousands of staff have been sacked, courses cut and fees hiked so Labor has grave fears that the next step is a wholesale sell of its physical sites.
“If the Minister really wants to allay the community’s fears then let him come out and give a cast-iron guarantee that campus sell-offs are not on the cards. If he can’t then sadly we have to expect the worst.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Wollongong Paul Scully MP:
“We’ve already seen the effect of TAFE cuts in the Illawarra when the Liberals shut down the Dapto TAFE campus by first gutting it of students, teaching staff and services.
“I exposed the fact that TAFE at West Wollongong couldn’t afford to buy meat for its butchery students 12 months ago.
“We also already know that the NSW Government has an interim valuation of the West Wollongong TAFE campus, which they are refusing to disclose.
“I want a guarantee from the Minister that there will be no ‘For Sale’ sign going up outside the West Wollongong TAFE campus.”
