COUNTRY REGIONS TO BE THE BIGGEST LOSER IN TAFE JOB CUTS

COUNTRY REGIONS TO BE THE BIGGEST LOSER IN TAFE JOB CUTS

4 August 1999

Member for Lismore, Thomas George today said the axing of jobs in TAFE NSW is jeopardising training programs in NSW.

"These cuts make a mockery of the so called `Country Labor' support for rural and regional areas.

"TAFE NSW is the largest supplier of workforce training in Australia.

"These cuts will inevitably mean that some TAFE courses with small enrolments will be cancelled.

"It will be country areas which will bear the brunt of the cuts as they traditionally have smaller classes.

"The Carr Government talks big about regional NSW but these cuts will hit hardest in the bush."

"Axing of courses will inevitably mean that young people will be forced to leave local areas to further their education.

Mr George said the decision to axe the jobs comes at the time when enrolments at TAFE are increasing.

"The 1999/2000 Budget papers reveal that the Government plans to axe 630 jobs in NSW when enrolments for the year have increased by 10,700.

"There are now more students attending TAFE than ever before. TAFE should now be receiving more funding not cutbacks," Mr George concluded.