Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, and on behalf of Senators Colbeck and Parry, move general business notice of motion No. 625:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the Australian Technical College Northern Tasmania (ATCNT) has been a highly successful model of education for students who wish to learn a trade and complete their Tasmanian Certificate of Education,

(ii)

the ATCNT, with campuses in Launceston and Burnie, is currently set to close on 31 December 2009 with the loss of 35 staff jobs and the displacement of more than 270 students,

(iii)

the options being offered to students for 2010 by the Tasmanian Government are in no way comparable to current courses offered by the ATCNT and further place at risk the education and employment prospects of students,

(iv)

the Federal Government has invested more than $26 million for the establishment and operation of the ATCNT, including $14 million on the building of the Launceston and Burnie facilities,

(v)

the outstanding performance of the ATCNT in its first 3 years of operation including, winning more than 40 awards for students and staff, as well as the 2007 Tasmanian and Australian School Based Apprentice of the Year and being named the 2009 Registered Training Organisation of the Year for Tasmania, and

(vi)

the ATCNT has achieved a retention rate of 95 per cent between Year 11 and Year 12 and a 94 per cent success rate for completing students in securing full-time employment; and

(b)

calls on the Government to support the ongoing operation of the Australian Technical College Northern Tasmania.