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Hartsukyer loses to Liberal Scott Ryan
The Australian 15 February 2016 Cowper MP Luke Hartsuyker says he is hugely disappointed that a frontbench reshuffle over the weekend has seen him dumped from the Federal ministry.
TCA February Fee Amnesty Letter to Minister Barilaro 
TAFE Community Briefing Paper
Extract
- National Agreement that required states and territories to make VET funding competitive and establish an open training market. TAFE to compete for its money.
- Increased focus on the needs of industry (large industry) without recognising or funding the further and second chance education and access courses. Loss of courses in the Arts, Access, Outreach, General Education and so on despite ongoing needs.
- Reduction in support to apprentices and trainees.
- Government tenders being won by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that cut costs, hire poorly qualified staff and do not provide quality educational courses
- Private RTOs by their very nature run programs as a for-profit business. See all the media coverage on this.
Education regulator won't release list of those linked to failed private training colleges
'A list of 120 people involved in failed private training colleges is being withheld by the federal government’s education regulator, despite fears that the same people may be involved in setting up new colleges.
The Australian Skills Quality Authority has cancelled the registration of dozens of providers because of their poor standards.'
Why A Federal VET Takeover Will Hurt TAFE
Government VET funding has declined by 32% since 2005. In 2013, 46% of VET funding nationally was allocated contestably – that is, open to for-profit private providers.
- In 2008, $25 million was expended on VET FEE-HELP. In 2014, this figure had grown to more than $1.5 billion and VET FEE HELP debt for 2015 will exceed $4 billion.
- More than 75% of VET FEE HELP goes to private providers – who have no limit on what they can charge students.
- Profit margins in the private VET sector are as high as 50% – mostly funded by taxpayers.
Private college collapse reveals failed system
Aspire College of Education, The Design Works College of Design, RTO Services Group and the Australian Indigenous College were placed in voluntary administration on Tuesday. Aspire alone has about 20 campuses around Australia.
All of the colleges are owned by Global Intellectual Holdings, which is also in administration with debt owing to ANZ Bank.
College collapses creates chaos for students
'The three private training colleges that collapsed, leaving thousands of students in limbo, received at least $66 million in government-funded student loans.
They had been recently audited by the national regulator and were found to be compliant, with the largest college still under investigation.
As news of the closures trickled to concerned students on Thursday, former employees revealed the colleges recruited students from foster homes, homeless shelters, women's refuges, aged care homes and drug rehabilitation centres.'
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/college-collapses-creates-chaos-for-students-20160211-gmrtlk.html#ixzz40KNAD7sy
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Students with Disabilities - issues of Concern
The paper has been developed by a working group representing a broad range of people with disabilities who will be affected by the changes proposed through Smart and Skilled NSW. It will be discussed with the Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli at a meeting on 5 March. Letters of support are urgently required. Send them to the Alliance to be forwarded on to the working group. Download the paper
TAFECommunityAlliance.org