Massive job losses and campus closure as TAFE cuts hit Swinburne
06 July 2012
The AEU has called on the Baillieu Government to immediately reverse its public TAFE sector budget cuts following Friday's shock announcement that Swinburne University will close its Lilydale campus, make 120 teachers redundant and fail to renew a further 100 staff contracts.
The Liberal-National Coalition Government cut $300 million from the Victorian public TAFE system in its May 2012 Budget.
AEU Victorian Branch Vice President Meredith Peace says that every Victorian TAFE across the state had or would be impacted by the Government's cuts.
"We have already seen massive devastation across Victoria as a result of these cuts. It is estimated that 2000 TAFE staff will be made redundant as a result of the funding cuts," she says.
Swinburne University announced in May that they would be forced to cut courses and make redundancies as a result of the $35 million cut from its 2013 TAFE budget.
"The State Government must be held accountable for the job losses, course cancellations, campus closures and fee increases for students that they have caused," says Peace.
"The Government should be committing to a well-resourced, high-quality TAFE sector, and encouraging learning -- not making it harder for students."
The AEU will hold a public TAFE4All rally at the State Library on August 16 at noon.
Please show your support for Victorian public TAFE students and teachers by attending the rally. Join the campaign at TAFE4All.org.au.
