Council split on education union action

By MARA PATTISON-SOWDEN
COUNCILLORS stood divided about a move to support a union-run campaign against the State Government’s $300 million budget cuts to TAFE colleges.
At the Yarra Ranges Coiuncil meeting on Tuesday 12 June, five of them moved the motion to support the campaign and write to the State Government, asking it to reverse its decision to cut the training and salary budgets of TAFE colleges across the state.
Some councillors said the difficulties faced by tertiary students were already high, with public transport and travel times making higher study a challenge in the area.
They said the decision to cut funding could put up to 1200 jobs at risk and lead to fee rises, course closures and the eventual privatisation of TAFEs.
Four councillors were against the decision.
Some said the neighbourhood houses in the Yarra Ranges picked up a lot of the slack and should be given a level playing field against TAFEs.
Also brought into question was whether it was the council’s place to get involved in the Australian Education Union campaign.
Councillor Samantha Dunn, who moved the motion, said there were already concerns about the difficulties that tertiary students faced in the Yarra Ranges.
“To think we might make access harder will be quite a disadvantage and because we’re an interface council, we’re not awash with a lot of options for young people,” she said.
“There are threats to courses across the area that will have significant implications for young people from the Yarra Ranges.”
Cr Richard Higgins agreed and said the young people needed the support.
“A lot of people out there are not as academically inclined,” he said.
“They need access to hands on learning, gaining valuable skills and information and engaging employment in trades.”
Cr Jeanette McRae said she believed funding in the last two years had changed to support courses that helped in skills shortage areas.
“Where the jobs are needed, those TAFE courses are getting that high rate, but there’s been no thought to neighbourhood houses,” she said.
Cr McRae said the Yarra Ranges had a fantastic neighbourhood house network that offered many of the same courses.
“My conversations with one house is that they believe there isn’t a level playing field between TAFE, private institutions and neighbourhood houses,” she said.
Cr Chris Templer questioned whether it was the council’s responsibility to be part of a union campaign.
“We’re representing 140,000 people, and we don’t know how many of those are on any side of the fence,” he said.
“I really don’t like recommendation number eight, requesting to send a council representative to a union-run meeting.”