“Having promised to build a Trades Training Centre (TTC) in all 2650 Australian high schools in 2007, the Rudd/Gillard Government has only built 48 in three years”, Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan said today.
“Meanwhile, the highly successful Warrnambool and Hamilton Australian Technical Colleges’ were abandoned, losing their Federal Government funding after the 2007 election.
A new report by the auditor‐general has revealed enormous delays in the programme that the Prime Minister insists is being delivered exactly as promised.
The report indicates that problems between state and federal bureaucracy are the primary cause of the delays, and alarmingly, the lack of progress is being whitewashed from the Federal Government’s annual reporting.
Overall the ANAO has found that only 31 per cent from Round One and Two of the program have begun construction on time, and only 27 per cent completed construction on time. This means a whopping 73 per cent of projects from these two rounds are behind schedule.
“At this rate it will take thirty years to finish the program. Julia Gillard will be eighty by the time it ends”, Mr Tehan noted.
“Labor’s Trades Training Centre in schools model was never a serious commitment to high quality technical education; it was a rushed, political fix to justify the scrapping of the Howard Government’s highly successful Australian Technical Colleges.
“Australian Technical Colleges were stand alone centres of excellence in technical education and training which were established in partnership with local businesses and communities, reflecting local skill needs”, said Mr Tehan.
“The Government’s TTC model attaching a relatively small technical section at the back of a secondary school does not lead to high quality technical education; it is a step backwards to the old days.
“The Coalition believes that a high quality technical education is something to be aspired to and valued, and the Hamilton and Warrnambool Australian Technical Colleges were delivering on that aim.
“This Government is simply incapable of delivering anything on time or on budget, and at a time of growing skill shortages in our local economy this is seriously limiting quality technical education opportunities in Wannon,” Mr Tehan concluded. ‐ENDS‐ Media Contact: Rachelle Miller 03 5572 1100 or 0408 564 232
Copyright © 2010 : Authorised by Dan Tehan, 190 Gray St, Hamilton VIC 3300
Disclaimer | Privacy | Contact
Design by Tin Shed Creations
