TasTAFE to shed 70 jobs in 'organisational redesign'
The Tasmanian Government's budget cuts will result in about 70 jobs losses across TasTAFE.
The number was confirmed by Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff after a question in Parliament from the Greens' Nick McKim.
Mr McKim argued the Government was cutting TasTAFE by stealth in a bid to make budget savings.
The independent statutory body that oversees TasTAFE has been asked to find efficiencies.
It has forecast a budget cut of $2 million this financial year and $5 million next year.
The Education Department has been asked to find $21.6 million in savings by the end of the financial year and cull 266 full-time equivalent jobs.
It is unclear if the TasTAFE jobs will come on top of these cuts.
Mr Rockliff said the "organisational redesign" to make it more efficient had begun with staff consultation and implementation will take about six months.
TasTAFE was established in July last year under the previous government, which merged the Skills Institute and Polytechnic.
Mr Rockliff accused Mr McKim of failing to properly restructure TasTAFE when he was in government.
"TasTAFE is initiating an organisational redesign, supported by me as Minister for Education," he said.
"This is effectively stage two of a transition from the two former organisations into TasTAFE, and to achieve organisational competitiveness, efficiency, and the budget savings required of it.
"What this Government is doing is fixing up Labor and the Greens' mess and what industry are telling me is they want TasTAFE to be a more flexible and responsive and efficient organisation."
Previous minister says he is not to blame
Mr McKim insisted the 70 jobs were part of budget savings and not a redesign.
"TasTAFE intends to reduce the number of educational delivery teams from 48 to about 30, abolish educational team leaders, the TasTAFE teaching staff will be reduced by over 70 positions thanks to your savage budget cuts," he told Parliament.
He rejected suggestions he was to blame for the cuts.
"It's always somebody else's fault for this Government," he said.
"These sackings and job losses are a direct result of the Liberal Party's budget and Mr Rockliff's decision to reduce funding to TAFE Tasmania by over $7.5 million over the next 18 months."
The Education Union has claimed courses are likely to be cut under the budget savings drive and restructure.
Spokesman Rex Calvert said the cuts would affect educational outcomes.
"It's a massive blow for TAFE, it just diminishes our ability to give educational qualifications to Tasmanians so they can get jobs," he said.
"There would be a possibility that some of the courses that are less well managed, and with the number of people attending them, will be looked at and may disappear."
The Opposition's education spokeswoman Michelle O'Byrne agrees.
"I don't think you can remove that amount of quality teaching staff from the facility without impacting on the quality of education they give their students," she said.
