Our letter to the Minister for Skills: Why are TAFE fees tripling?

Public awareness of the Brumby Government’s TAFE fee hikes and their impact on students and institutes is building as a result of the AEU's TAFE 4 All campaign. Today we have placed an open letter to Jacinta Allan, the Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation about her changes to the system.

It tells readers that:

• Fees are tripling for many courses
• The $55 concession rate for diplomas and advanced diplomas has been abolished
• Those who already have a diploma or above must now bear the full cost of further training (often $10,000 or more).

These changes deny thousands of people the opportunity to access TAFE.

During the past 3 weeks our campaign has focussed on regional areas where we have visited and spoken to students and teachers in TAFE institutes. At the same time, Meredith Peace and Justin Mullaly, union leaders in the secondary sector, along with Mary Bluett have visited regional secondary colleges.

The colleges they have visited include those which have higher than average numbers of graduating students going to TAFE according to state government data.

Together with ordinary working people trying to reskill, it is these young people and their families who will bear the full brunt of the skills reform but, the Government is telling these secondary students, their teachers, principals and careers advisers astonishingly little about the real impact of this Skills Reform policy.

Regional media have followed our campaign closely, reporting on both TAFE and school meetings and taking the opportunity of interviewing TAFE students about how the changes are going to impact on them.

The campaign is now moving to Melbourne with a series of student meetings in TAFE institutes and sub-branch meetings in secondary schools.

Highlighting the waste of taxpayers' money in a promotion and marketing program by the government,the AEU calls on the Minister Jacinta Allan to be honest with the Victorian public about the far reaching impact this policy will have on Victorian students and working families.

How can you help with this campaign?

Have a look at tafe4all.org.au. We have recorded thousands of hits on our website. The latest heart-wrenching blog is from a student with disabilities. Please take a few minutes from your busy day and read some of the blog comments.

As teachers you are in the perfect position to alert students of the fee hikes. Make them aware of the website too.

MARY BLUETT
AEU branch president

GILLIAN ROBERTSON
TAFE vice president

Download File:
TAFE 4 All print ad (210KB) [ pdf ]
Contact Details
Australian Education Union (Victorian Branch)
Ph:  (03) 9417 2822
Fax: (03) 9417 6198
melbourne@aeuvic.asn.au
http://www.aeuvic.asn.au