Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 279 standing in my name for today relating to National TAFE Day by amending subparagraph (ii).

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) that National TAFE day will be held on 18 June 2014,

  (ii) the proposed cuts to technical and further education (TAFE) budgets across Australia will have disastrous impacts on staff and students and Australia’s economic future and social well-being,

  (iii) the changes to TAFE are adversely impacting regional, rural and disadvantaged communities and people with varying abilities, and

  (iv) the Senate inquiry into TAFE unearthed widespread concerns across industries and interests about the quality of education and training provided through the private vocational and education market; and

(b) calls on the federal and state governments to:

  (i) reverse the harsh budget cuts to TAFE and to abandon changes proposed to vocational education and training that undermine TAFE as a public provider,

  (ii) review the current competitive tendering model of government funding as it impacts on TAFE,

  (iii) support and expand the capacity of the public TAFE system to allow it to continue its historic role providing high quality technical and further education to Australians of all ages and backgrounds,

  (iv) properly recognise the importance of TAFE in providing vocational and technical education in areas of high and low demand, in rural and remote areas and in supporting access and participation for disadvantaged learners, and

  (v) work collaboratively to develop a national workforce strategy for the TAFE sector.

Question agreed to.