QTU speaks up for TAFE

The QTU has provided written submissions to and appeared before the Queensland Parliamentary Committee Inquiries into the Queensland Training Assets Management Authority (QTAMA) Bill, 2014 and the TAFE Queensland (Dual Sector Entities) Amendment Bill, 2014.

The QTAMA Bill seeks to establish a statutory authority to oversee the facilities and assets which were formerly a part of TAFE and open up access to private training organisations. The Dual Sector Entities Bill seeks to establish a legal framework for the merger of the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE and Central Queensland University (and for other possible dual sector institutions in the future).

Both committees have now released their reports.

The QTAMA Bill

It is noteworthy that the Palmer United Party representative on the Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee lodged a dissent from the majority report on the QTAMA Bill, endorsing the QTU recommendation that the bill be withdrawn. The Labor Party representative lodged a statement of reservation about the bill, indicating that its concerns will be raised when the bill is debated.

The majority report of the committee recommended that the bill be passed, but also included recommendations intended to address concerns raised by the QTU.

Specifically, the committee recommended that:

  • the bill be amended to require greater consultation between the Minister with responsibility for QTAMA (the Minister for Housing and Public Works) and the Minister for Education, Training and Employment
  • DETE monitor and evaluate the impact of the establishment and operation of QTAMA on VET delivery generally and TAFE delivery specifically and provide regular written reports.

The committee also recommended that:

  • the bill be amended to require the proceeds from TAFE asset sales for the first two years to be re-invested in VET and that after that period, the government ensure transparency in the degree to which any asset sales are re-invested in VET
  • the bill be amended to give TAFE priority access to public VET facilities for the first two years of QTAMA’s operation (DETE had advised the committee that this was the intent, but it is not mentioned in the bill).

Copies of the bill, committee report, the QTU submission, transcripts of testimony before the committee and related documentation can be accessed at: www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-committees/committees/THLGC/inquiries/past-inquiries/INQ-QTAMA.

The Dual Sector Bill

The Labor Party representative lodged a statement of reservation about the bill, indicating that its concerns will be raised when the bill is debated. The majority report recommends passage of the bill.

The QTU did not oppose passage of the bill but made a number of suggestions. Importantly, the Committee adopted the QTU recommendation that the bill be amended to ensure that any future dual sector entities be public providers of VET. The committee also recommended that an evaluation of the merger be conducted once the CQIT/CQU dual sector institution is well established.

Copies of the bill, committee report, the QTU submission, transcripts of testimony before the committee and related documentation can be accessed at: www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-committees/committees/EIC/inquiries/past-inquiries/TAFE2014.

Conclusion

It is pleasing to note that both parliamentary committees took the submissions of the QTU seriously and engaged with the points raised. As would be expected, the perspectives expressed in the majority (LNP dominated) reports differ significantly from the perspectives of the QTU. However, in both cases, and to the credit of the members of the committees, the majority reports include recommendations that address points raised by the Union.

Unfortunately, on previous experience, the LNP cabinet is far less amenable to reasoned argument and quite capable of ignoring recommendations, not just from unions, but from its own LNP-dominated parliamentary committees.

John McCollow
Industrial Service Officer

Update: The Dual Sector and QTAMA Bills were passed unamended by State Parliament on 8 May. The Labor Party, the Katter Party, the Palmer United Party and Independent Peter Wellington voted against the QTAMA Bill. The Katter Party unsuccessfully moved amendments that would have given effect to the parliamentary committee’s recommendations relating to consultation and monitoring.


Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 4, 23 May 2014, p14