The State Premier Chris Minns has announced over social media that TAFE NSW will be receiving $300 million this financial year to fix “crumbling classrooms, leaking roofs, broken aircon and heating units, and 15 year old Wi-Fi systems”.
Mr Minns states, “Our campuses were neglected and under funded for more than a decade under the previous government . . . Some of these have been waiting 15 years for repairs. That ends now.”
This comes as a great win for all employees in TAFE. It is pledged that 120 TAFE NSW campuses across the state will be repaired. This is a significant step in the right direction in refunding and rebuilding our TAFE and a great case for collective power. The backlog of “at least 54,000 assets” needing to be repaired that came across the desk of the premier is due to each and every employee who logged SNOW and WHS tickets about broken equipment.
The CPSU NSW agrees with Mr Minns: “We need functional classrooms that meet the educational and employment needs of our growing state.” To ensure these employment needs are met, we need to ensure that all TAFE employees have favourable working conditions. If Mr Minns holds up his end of the bargain, the CPSU NSW will be there to continually uphold and build the industrial rights and entitlements of TAFE employees on his behalf.
The Minister for TAFE NSW Steve Whan explains: “This critical $300 million investment will rebuild the physical and digital infrastructure at 120 TAFE NSW campuses neglected for a decade by the previous Liberal-National Government.” The media release puts a focus on regional campuses and highlights where some of this money is being allocated.
“This landmark financial injection into TAFE NSW will refurbish workshops and specialist facilities to train more electricians, metal fabricators, plumbers, and healthcare workers in communities like Wagga Wagga, Albury, Goulburn, Port Macquarie, Orange, and Armidale … From welders at Wagga Wagga, to tractors at Wollongbar and Goulburn, and forklifts at Nirimba, and Albury.
“In addition to maintenance work and new teaching equipment, the investment also provides more than $36 million for over 8,500 new digital devices and directs funding into improved digital connectivity at 28 regional campuses across the state.
“The funding will also ensure the completion of the redevelopment of TAFE NSW Kingscliff and the upgrade of TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour.”
Wagga Wagga TAFE is noted to be receiving an investment of almost $1.7 million, from $600,000 to upgrade fabrication and welding facilities to $500,000 to replace 164 digital devices, and $550,00 for the creation of a new Aboriginal Cultural safe space.
The CPSU NSW thanks all members who have logged SNOW and Work Health Safety tickets that helped bring this issue to the Premier. What we encourage you to do moving forward is to continue logging SNOW tickets or Work Health Safety reports. If something is broken, let TAFE know so the Government can put its money where its mouth is. TAFE has a voice; a voice the government can hear when we all speak together, united. Join the union and make let’s make this a united and louder voice!
