Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently raised my grievance in this chamber about the manner in which some of my most vulnerable and disadvantaged constituents were treated by the private provider Keystone College prior to its closure in February this year. Keystone College was a registered training organisation which was approved to offer VET FEE-HELP funding. Unfortunately, the situation in which the staff and students of Keystone College found themselves in is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. All too often, we have seen private, for-profit colleagues spring up only to quickly go into administration, leaving significant numbers of students out of pocket without qualifications and often with large debts. Therefore, it is my belief that we must do more to protect the vulnerable members of our community who use these services. It is also important that we uphold the integrity of the VET FEE-HELP loan regime to ensure that taxpayer funds are used for proper purposes and to achieve the best possible outcomes for students.

I believe the TAFE and not-for-profit sector have distinguished themselves in delivering services to our community. One such not-for-profit is the Meadow Heights Education Centre in my electorate of Calwell, a not-for-profit community neighbourhood house and registered training organisation. It does not offer VET FEE-HELP loans, but seeks to provide affordable training in a variety of courses to members of the local community. It also has offered a range of free services, such as pro bono lessons for adults. In pursuing Keystone College and other for-profit RTOs, it was never my intention to suggest that the not-for-profit community sector were engaging in similar practices by charging exorbitant fees or engaging in ruthless and unethical practices.

The work that Meadow Heights Education Centre does in providing a wide range of skill development, life skills, job readiness and social support is quite clearly different to the model of a for-profit college that offers limited and narrowly defined certificate courses at a cost of thousands of dollars. In speaking today I wish to clarify the distinction between the recently closed RTOs who were making a mockery of the vocational education system as it currently operates and the community based not-for-profit providers, such as the Meadow Heights Education Centre. Indeed, I will be writing to Mr Charles Cilia, the director of the Meadow Heights Education Centre, clarifying this point.

My efforts to seek fair and quality services for my constituents were in no way directed at the not-for-profit sector, and I look forward to these organisations, including the Meadow Heights Education Centre, joining me in a campaign against abuses and fighting for a properly regulated and well-resourced training and vocational education system which includes a strong TAFE sector.