Late on a Friday afternoon in November, after most news items from the day had been put to bed, with little fanfare it was revealed that the State and Federal Labor Governments have done a deal to abolish the Australian Technical College Northern Tasmania. (The news just happened to coincide with the announcement of the end of a Federal MP’s career, a big story).
Cynically, the deal included the transfer of the ATC’s purpose-built facilities for integration into the Bartlett Labor Government’s failed Tasmania Tomorrow experiment.
As someone who worked tirelessly with our local community to qualify for and establish one of the 25 ATCs, I was terribly disappointed that the combined efforts of so many people of genuine goodwill in our community were to be dashed as a result of pure government bloody-mindedness. However, despite the successful growth of student numbers, awards, solid employment outcomes and broad community support – we Liberals were not surprised. It was only ever a matter of time that Labor would shut down a successful pathway for our young people.
There are two facts which go a fair way to explaining why Labor hate the ATCs so much:
- The ATC training model is an initiative of the former Howard Government to improve the quality and status of trades training. The existence of the colleges therefore bears witness to Liberal effort, which does not support the massive egos of Rudd and Bartlett;
- The ATCs are a success in stark contrast to David Bartlett’s botched reforms of our public college system and TAFE and this success therefore dampens his magnificence.
Vain pride ahead of what’s good for our young people? You bet.
Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett and Deputy Prime Minister Julie Gillard should hang their heads in shame at their disgraceful abandonment of one of the best-performing technical education institutions in the state.
The wisdom of the ATC vision and the local implementation are proven – and will always deserve recognition as a great success even in the face of constant opposition. Local trade-based industries love the flexibility and responsiveness that the ATC can offer as well as the assurance that the training is suitable and at a high standard. Students and their parents have appreciated the certainty of being able to complete year 11 and 12 TCE studies, in a strong environment of pastoral care while getting a head start into a real apprenticeship.
While I was a member of the Howard Government, my colleague Mark Baker and I had to withstand constant negativity toward the model from state and federal Labor identities. This was a constant challenge for us in promoting something positive and they did all they could to undermine community confidence. This is because Labor opposes vocational education models which involve enterprising students, parents, industry and flexible employment arrangements! Fortunately, community support prevailed against Labor’s whining in opposition and the colleges flourished. Labor MPs for Bass and Braddon even had the gall to perform the official opening of the facilities – with many of the onlookers wondering what these pretenders might try to do in the future… Well they might ask!
What we now know is that on 21 August this year, Catholic Education signalled to the Federal Government that it would not be able to continue with the contract to manage the ATC beyond 2009. We also know that one of the original partners, the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wrote to the Federal Government on 24 September offering to take it on. Amazingly, there has been no written response but ATC staff tell us that the TCCI were verbally told they weren’t going to get the gig.
A deal was being negotiated to relieve the mutually-uncomfortable feelings that both governments were having to endure while ever the ATC succeeded. ‘Look at me’ David Bartlett was experiencing symptoms of a pain in the neck while ‘me-too’ PM Kevin Rudd needed help with a seedy hangover following his rash promise to maintain the colleges.
In Rudd and Bartlett’s new era of ‘ending the blame game’ this decision represents the victory of naked mediocrity over what’s good for our young people.
So what now?
The efforts of the Liberals are being combined with those of ATC staff, parents and an army of ATC students to Save Our ATC! Meetings have been held to demand positive action from our elected governments to reverse their wrong decision and let our Australian Technical Colleges flourish. Petitions are being circulated by students, a Facebook page has been established along with a dedicated website www.saveouratc.com
I call on Tasmanians everywhere to actively join this campaign in support of better education options for our young people and our economy. It’s not too late.
