Candidates react to Nationals TAFE announcement

YESTERDAY the National Party announced it will build a $3 million multi-trades hub at the Scone Connected Learning Centre (CLC) with revenue acquired from the 2 Flemington Drive TAFE campus sale.

Upper Hunter candidates and union representatives have since responded, questioning the timing of the announcement and whether the CLC will be able to provide the right training and education opportunities. 

Sue Abbott said the $3 million announcement is “a bizarre use of public money.”

“They’ve really miscalculated this one. The TAFE was sold before the by-election was called, they saw that coming. Now they’re terrified because it’s not a good community look. We relied on the TAFE, I think everybody in this community has done something there at some stage, I learnt how to type there. This community has been educated at Scone TAFE,” Ms Abbott said.

“The coalition doesn’t care about workers, nor are they invested in the green economy transition that must take place for our economic survival. We need all the tradies already here and we need to be able to provide further training for more of them. The fact that the coalition thought to diminish training and further education is criminal,” she said.

“To pour this money into the old TAFE, that would have been the most sensible thing to do . . .  it was there, we had it. We could have done all of the training there and perhaps provide continued education for people who already had those skills but want to top up with the latest whatever,” she said.

“NSW Racing has probably been given a memo to say they will deliver all courses but it s a private organisation, they can do what they like. The government cannot sell it off and then direct how education will then be happening.

“I don’t trust it, thats damage control 101, of course he’s going to say that. Why would we believe NSW Racing? The Coalition gave them a free kick.

“That’s going to be interesting next week at the TAFE meeting because I don’t know how they can spin this for the public good,” said Ms Abbott.

Jeff Drayton, Labor Party candidate:

Jeff Drayton said the Nationals’ vision for vocational education in Scone is a TAFE-light model offering local students second rate training solutions.

“The Nationals have finally realised there’s enormous community concern about the future of skills training in the region,” said Mr Drayton.

“Nationals candidate David Layzell and Deputy Premier John Barilaro have again spruiked what a great deal the government has made, selling off Scone’s TAFE campus to Racing NSW. But again I ask, a great deal for who?” he questioned.

“Racing NSW boss Peter V’Landys says the new facility will be a drawcard for international students. My concern is for education and training outcomes for local students in Scone and across the Upper Hunter and they’ve been sold short,” he said.

“The smaller, cheaper Connected Learning Centre is no replacement for a full TAFE campus . . . $3 million for a workshop to be shared across all trades doesn’t compare to a fully-funded TAFE,” said Mr Drayton.

Kate Fraser, Independent candidate:

Kate Fraser said she was pleased to hear the news but would like a project timeframe and a signed cheque to be handed over.

“I think its great but first of all, I can’t see when they intend to build it, when are they going to turn the first sod and when do they expect it to be complete and have students in it?” questioned Ms Fraser.

“When the TAFE was sold, they promised the revenue to Belmont. Is Belmont going to be given the money it was promised? I just wonder where they’re going to get the money from. I will be surprised if both plans go ahead. I bet one suddenly doesn’t get off the ground . . . are they robbing Peter to pay Paul?” she said.

“If there wasn’t a by-election on the cards this money would have never appeared. It was ‘we’ve sold it so put up and shut up,'” she said.

“Scone TAFE has turned out some exceptional people who have gone into the horse industry, other industries as well but particularly the horse industry . . . you can’t learn how to shoe a horse via textbook, it’s got tot be practical, so I hope Racing NSW delivers for the whole horse industry not just for the racing industry.

“If they concentrated all of the horse-type courses out at the racetrack area and they’re only doing the smaller hands-on at the CLC then they will possibly have enough room but they also need to think about parking at the CLC. If you’ve got eight or ten people doing a course and another eight or ten people doing another course, where are they going to park?

“There is block next to the Scone CLC, I’m not sure who owns it . . . if they were smart they’d get in and acquire that block of land even if they don’t use it straight away,” said Ms Fraser.

Sue Gilroy, Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate:

Sue Gilroy said there’s still a lot of unanswered questions about the Scone TAFE sale but will be holding the Nationals and their $3 million promise to account.

“I think it’s very convenient that its come in a by-election like the promise of all of the other funding, if they are going to stand by the funding thats great but is that an election promise?” Ms Gilroy said.

“Even though they say they will put any course out there that’s demanded for, they will still look at viable numbers. In the bush it’s hard to get those viable numbers, so will they stand by that promise?” she questioned.

“Connected Learning Centres don’t suit a lot of people, you can’t actually learn practical skills on a computer. We need to consider that our kids need to have reliable tertiary education in the bush when they leave school because we know when they leave the area, it’s very difficult to get them back,” she said.

“In relation to additional jobs, I think the increase in any jobs in our regional areas is a plus. It doesn’t matter what industry that comes from, if it’s in our regional area, I’m all for it,” said Ms Gilroy.

Tracy Norman, Independent candidate:

Tracey Norman said the government needs to look towards the future of training and education and its connection with industry transition.

“Geoff Lee said the reason they sold the TAFE off was because it was an under utilised asset and now you have a private training organisation coming on saying ‘we’ll do what TAFE wants us to,’ again, why didn’t we just cut out the middle man? There’s been a lot of cases where private organisations have let people down,” Ms Norman said.

“I think the government is a bit like Dungog Shire Council in that they’re filling in potholes of their own creation. They sell the TAFE off and then put three million bucks back into an education centre. What they need to be doing is providing funding, in a major way, so that we can build education centres so that when we have transition, we can prepare ourselves for the next step. If we don’t, someone else will,” she said.

“They’re talking about it in Townsville and other parts of Queensland. We need to be funding research and training for the new industries that need to come on board when the coal industry fades out,” she said.

“I think the multi trade hub is fantastic for industries that exist now . . . but I’m talking about tomorrow, the future and what that will bring in the way of innovation and industry. That’s what we need to be gearing up for, we need a transition academy, so we can keep the families in the area. Coal is on the demise and no matter how much the government says they’re going to keep selling coal they need someone to sell it to and that’s just not going to happen. We need to get ready.

“We need more than the $25 billion that was promised per year to help with transition, because seriously that’s pocket change compared to what we need. We need serious money in this area for the transition and I think education is a major part of that.

“I say, keep bringing on by-elections because that seems to be the only way we get funding and noticed in the Upper Hunter,” said Ms Norman.

Steve Reynolds, Independent candidate:

Steve Reynolds said the government needs to be addressing skill shortages and inject money into businesses to help them provide more employment opportunities. 

“For starters, It’s convenient to come out after you’ve sold it and say you’re going to do it. We wouldn’t have this issue in the first place if there was a lot more transparency around the sale of TAFE,” Mr Reynolds said.

“For $4 million, I could have taken the hat around the community board and sold it for more, $4 million for me is undervalued but to put back $3 million, it’s a bit of a slap in the face,” he said.

“Let’s not just talk about the money, let’s talk about the security and long term. It’s all good and well for people to pledge this money but people want the security that it’s going to be left alone . . . it’s taken a by-election to get that commitment. Do we need an election or by-election every time to get these things fixed?” he said.

“They like to justify things with facts and figures and that’s all very well but we’re seeing with the medical side of things in our area, those facts and figures are not weighing up. People can’t get doctors for six weeks. What they need to do is address the skill shortage in this area.

“We need to be injecting money into local businesses so they can put on trainees and apprentices, it’s not just about the training facilities, lets get people into jobs. We need to invest in the now and don’t talk about Covid-19, it was like this before Covid-19.

“They can have all the meeting pressers they want but the answer is the action on the ground. People are over this election already because the Upper Hunter is the focal point of the state and everyone in a suit is turning up here but as soon as it’s over, we’ll never seen them back up here unless a local gets elected,” said Mr Reynolds.

Troy Wright,  NSW Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Branch Assistant Secretary:

Troy Wright questioned the government’s credibility based on different attitudes towards Scone TAFE before and after the by-election was announced.

“The community should judge this government and the National Party’s attitude towards providing TAFE in Scone and elsewhere in the electorate on what they’ve done before the by-election was announced, not what they’ve done in the campaign period,” Mr Wright said.

“Before the by-election was announced, their real intention was to sell Scone TAFE, leave Scone short handed and distribute that money elsewhere in Belmont and Muswellbrook. It’s taken a by-election to suddenly discover magic beans and that money that they’ve raised is suddenly multiplied and there’s going to be even more spent on TAFE, allegedly, than what they raised in the sale,” he said.

“The true colours were demonstrated when they decided many years ago to earmark the Scone TAFE for sale, that was their real attitude to TAFE, that Scone didn’t need one, that this was an asset that could be disposed of to their mates and money could be made.

“They hadn’t adequately consulted, the sale process wasn’t transparent, it was fast-tracked, it was announced the day before the by-election was announced to hopefully make it not a non-election issues. It was if anything, the exact opposite of transparent.

“They were desperate to make it go away, have it sign sealed and delivered before the by-election, so that during the by-election they wouldn’t receive pressure to remit on the deal. It was a transparent as mud,” said Mr Wright.

For more information on where candidates stand: Voting 101: Upper Hunter by-election.