Page 1100 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Ms Porter has spoken passionately on a number of occasions on this issue, so it was quite unnecessary for the shadow minister to lead off his contribution with a personal attack on Ms Porter. It was quite unnecessary. Ms Porter has spoken at length about what a thriving and dynamic sector we have but she is also engaged deeply in the discussions about how we can best position this sector for a future wave of growth. That is exactly what we are seeking to do.
What we hear from the other side of politics, locally and nationally, when they do put forward ideas, is ideas that are largely to cut funding and to shift the burden of the costs of higher education onto students. That is the agenda from the Liberal Party. That is what we hear and that is what they pushed twice unsuccessfully at a federal level. And we hear nothing different from those opposite—depending on which day of the week it is and what the policy position is, whether it is a barnacle or not—as to whether those opposite are in fact supporting Christopher Pyne, federal education minister, and Tony Abbott or not. And it will depend, of course, on what day of the week it is, given the complete failure of the federal government to advance a policy agenda in this area.
So what we are here talking about today is the vital role that the TAFE system plays in our higher education framework. The CIT makes a large and significant contribution to the territory economy; around $850 million on recent figures. We have close to 15,000 students from the territory and more than 4,000 interstate and international students studying at our TAFE. There is a personal spend from those interstate and international students of around $700 million each year. The CIT has more than 700 full-time employees.
This shows not only the economic value but also the high level of engagement within a city of 400,000 that the higher education sector, including our TAFE, has and how important this sector is to our long-term, social and economic future. That is why it is important that we have these debates and that we tease out the various policy positions of the major stakeholders and, indeed, those who would seek to be the government of the territory.
I will always favour a process where ideas are aired and considered rather than one that is just about taking pot shots at ideas that are brought forward. We should always allow ideas to be debated. There is nothing wrong with that and there is nothing wrong with this debate continuing but it needs to be a two-sided conversation, and if there are ideas and actual agendas for reform that are coming forward we will welcome that debate. But what we need is a two-sided conversation. I know we are not going to get one. That is not going to deter the government and people who are interested in the future of higher education in this city and who are interested in the future of the TAFE system to continue to put forward ideas for reform.
I know that Minister Burch will be bringing forward a number of major reforms for the CIT that go to not only infrastructure questions but also governance and will be looking to build on the presence of the CIT and to strengthen the institution, just as we seek to strengthen the University of Canberra. In both instances I know we will be opposed by the Canberra Liberals. But you are defined in politics by the fights you need to have in order to achieve social progress and good outcomes for your community and this is one—
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video