Back to NTEU National Office

NTEU media release: Public rally on July 16 to kick off fight against Swinburne University TAFE cuts

Posted 11 July 2012 by Andrew Nette (NTEU National Office)

Staff, students and the concerned community members will kick off a fight against Swinburne University’s plan to axe up to 240 positions and close its Lilydale campus, with a protest rally next Monday.

“Swinburne staff and students are in shock following the announcement the institution will cut up to 100 fixed term teachers and 120 administrative staff and close altogether its Lilydale campus,” said Colin long, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Victoria Secretary

“NTEU believes up to a thousand employees could be affected if we include contract, agency and casual staff.”

“This is not to mention the uncertainty created for the 2500 TAFE and higher education students at the Lilydale campus.”

“There is also a question mark hanging over the future of the University’s Prahran campus, with TAFE courses there to be moved to other campuses.”

“We believe these cuts are a direct result of the Baillieu Government’s announcement earlier this year that it will reduce funding to public TAFE providers by up to 22% from the start of 2013.”

“This stripped $35 million in funding from Swinburne University alone.”

A full list of the impacts of the TAFE cuts across Victoria is below

“Next Monday’s rally is the start of a concerted campaign against the Swinburne cuts leading up to the next Victorian election.”

“Liberal MPs near Swinburne’s Lilydale and Prahran campuses, such as Christine Fyffe, David Hodgett and Clem Newton-Brown, should be feeling very nervous.”

“The anger about what is happening Swinburne is only part of wider wave of protest against the TAFE cuts across Victoria.”

“The Victorian Government should come to its senses and reverse the cuts or risk being a one term government,” said Long.

The rally is being organised by the TAFE4All campaign, a coalition of unions including NTEU and the Australian Education Union. For more information go to http://www.tafe4all.org.au/

Rally details

When: July 16, 12.00pm

Where: The Atrium, Swinburne TAFE Lilydale

For further information and comment:

Colin Long, NTEU Victoria Secretary: 0403 920 361

Andrew Nette, NTEU Media Officer: 0431 217 131

Confirmed cuts to TAFE as of July 11 2012

Victoria has 18 TAFE institutes, most with many branches. The following information on the impact of the Victorian government’s cuts to TAFE has been sourced from publicly available date or information we have been able to confirm independently.

GippsTAFE

(Campuses at Yallourn, Morewell, Leongatha, Warragal)

• $10 million budget cut
• Up to a 100 redundancies expected
• Morewell and Leongatha campuses under threat – hospitality, art, design, sport, recreation, retail and music courses
• Fee increases expected by 2013

Box Hill Institute

• $24 million funding cut
• Up to 200 redundancies to go.
• Course cuts expected, fees to increase

Wodonga TAFE

• $7 million budget cut
• Redundancies expected

Chisholm Institute of TAFE

(Campuses in Berwick, Cranbourne, Dandenong and Frankston)

• $28 million cut to the budget
• Significant redundancies expected
• course cuts expected

Holmesglen

• $30 million budget cut (approximately a third of government funding)
• Redundancies expected
• Diploma fees to increase from $2500 to $5000 as of 2013
• Viability of institution under threat

Kangan Institute

(Campuses in Broadmeadows, Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Richmond)

• $25 funding cut
• Up to 205 jobs could go by early next year
• Up to 52 courses to be cut, including Australian Sign Language course, the only one of its kind in Victoria and Eastern Australia

Sunraysia Institute of TAFE

(Campuses in Swan Hill, Robinvale, Mildura and Ouyen)

• $6.5 million budget cut
• 26 redundancies announced so far

Bendigo TAFE

• $8-9 million budget cut
• 120 jobs to go
• Kyneton campus to close
• Course cuts expected – the Echuca-based Certificate III hairdressing apprenticeship has been axed

Gordon Institute of TAFE (Geelong)

• $14.6 million cut (approximately 21% of budget)
• Course cuts
• Enrolments not being taken for nine distance education courses currently offered by Institute’s centre for Essential Business Skills
• Redundancies expected

Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE

(Campuses across the northern metropolitan area of Melbourne)

• $25 million budget cut, up to a hundred jobs cut
• As many as 50 courses to be scrapped
• Fee rises of up to five times more current levels
• Costs of a diploma degree could rise to $4000 in 2013
• Worst hit areas – certificate level courses in hospitality, business, customer contact, fitness and financial administration

South West Institute of TAFE

(Campuses in Hamilton, Portland, Camperdown, Warrnambool)

• $11.5 million cut in government funding next year
• 80% of courses will have reduced government subsidies
• 43 EFT positions already cut, more expected next year
• Services expected to be cut
• Increases in courses costs of between 50-400%
• 169 courses to be cut

William Angliss

• $5.8 million funding cut

Advance TAFE

(Campuses in Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Sale)

• Significant redundancies and course cuts expected
• Some campuses under threat.

DUAL SECTOR INSTITUTIONS

Swinburne University

• $35 million budget cut in 2013 to TAFE operations
•  240 ongoing staff cut
• Lilydale campaign to be closed, TAFE courses at Prahran campus to be moved to other campuses.
• Courses in leisure, hospitality, recreation and tourism no longer offered

University of Ballarat

(Campuses in Horsham, Stawall, Ararat)

• $19 million cut in government funding, 40% budget cut to TAFE operations
• Up to 60 courses could be cut, Ballarat arts school under threat
• Horsham campus could be seriously impacted with business, racing certificates to possibly go. Courses could also be cut at Stawall campus  
• Redundancies expected

RMIT University

• $20 million budget cut to TAFE operations
• Job cuts expected
• International Centre of Graphic Technology to be closed (only TAFE training centre in Victorian where apprentices can prepare for printing career)

Victoria University

(Campuses across the western metropolitan area of Melbourne)

• $34 million budget cut to TAFE operations
• 50 positions being made redundant in the faculties of Technical Trades Innovation and Workforce Development. More jobs to go by the end of the year
• Fee hikes expected. Some courses expected to increase by up to 320%
• 100 courses to be cut, including sports and fitness, hospitality, business and financial services

INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE

Goulbourn Ovens Institute of TAFE

(campuses in Seymour, Shepparton, Benella, Wangaratta)

• No information available