National regulatory scheme could spell disaster for VET in Tasmania

Minister McKim has turned his back on Tasmanian registered training organisations (RTOs) by failing to acknowledge the potentially disastrous implications on Tasmanian vocational education and training of moving to a new, untested and expensive national regulatory scheme.

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Private Members Bill to keep the “McKim20″ open

UPDATED Here I have provided the Hansard of the debate that occured (over two debating days) when I brought the Education (Retention of Schools) Bill 2011 on for debate and vote in the Tasmanian Parliament.  I would like to point out that I have posted here the full transcript even though the interjections from the [...]

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Labor and Greens sell out school communities by voting down Retention of Schools Bill

Every Labor and Green member of Parliament today showed their contempt for 20 Tasmanian communities by voting against the Liberals’ Education (Retention of Schools) Bill. This bill would have provided much needed certainty to the 20 schools, in mainly regional communities, that Mr McKim callously tried to close earlier this year and which remain vulnerable. [...]

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Debate on the regulation of Vocational Education and Training

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (COMMONWEALTH POWERS) BILL 2011 [5.24 p.m.] Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Mr Deputy Speaker, I will be leading the debate on this bill on behalf of the Opposition and I thank the minister for his second reading speech.

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McKim refuses to acknowledge impact of school budget cuts on children with special needs

In parliament today the Liberals’ stood up for special needs students who are losing out on teacher aide support next year because of Minister McKim’s heartless cuts to school budgets. Instead of any show of sympathy or regret the Minister instead arrogantly refused to acknowledge there is a problem. Mr McKim is either being dishonest [...]

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