The Tasmanian Greens today confirmed that they have reached a negotiated agreement with the Labor Party over the controversial Tasmanian Tomorrow reforms, which will see a clear plan to restore the integrity of all the State’s Secondary Colleges and return them to the auspices of the Education Department in time for the 2011 school year.
Greens Education spokesperson Paul O’Halloran MP said that although the Greens did not receive everything for which they had asked through the negotiations, they are confident that the proposed new model will address many of the critical issues that had concerned students, parents and teachers with the Tasmania Tomorrow reforms.
Mr O’Halloran also stated that the Greens had negotiated with Labor additional to the proposed model further guarantees that include an Implementation and Change Management Taskforce to be in operation this year, plus a progress review to be conducted halfway through next year, and commitments relating to the Skills Institute.
“Today on behalf of the Tasmanian Greens I am happy to announce that yesterday evening we completed negotiations with the Labor Party to deliver vital reforms to Tasmania Tomorrow which will see the integrity of all our colleges restored and will effectively deal with the flaws of Tasmania Tomorrow,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“During these negotiations, the Greens’ bottom line was to restore the focus to good education outcomes for students and adult learners, restore a positive education workplace, and provide certainty for students, parents, teachers, staff and other stakeholders, and a clear direction forward.”
“Certainty is needed now for the three colleges outside Tasmanian Tomorrow, those Colleges within, and for the broader education community as a whole, so that staff and students can get on planning during the second half of this year for the 2011 school year.”
The new negotiated Post Year 10 model will:
• Restore the integrity of the colleges
• Abolish the Academy and Polytechnic Boards
• Return the Colleges (including Polytechnic courses) to the Education Department
• Responsibility for all year 11 & 12 students, and teachers returned to the Education Department
• Teachers able to teach across both Academy and VET/polytechnic subjects
• Restores local leadership on colleges
• Restores a single enrolment point for students
• Restores local control of budgets and staff management
• The Education Department to manage PY10 Education & Training (ex-apprentices and trainees)
• Education staff have transfer options within Education Department
• TAFE staff currently within Polytechnic remain there
• Places Shared Services under Education Department.
“Any negotiated outcome had to be a win for our learners and teachers. We were not interested in what may be perceived as being a win for the Greens, for Labor or for Liberal.”
“Despite the new proposed model being very close to our election policy, the Greens did not get everything we asked for during these negotiations, however it is clear that when three Parties have different policies that in order to deliver improvements and make progress, negotiation was the only option.”
“The key outstanding issue is that surrounding restoring the TAFE brand and Adult Education, and in recognition of that we did secure as part of the independent review of progress, to be held mid 2011, that it has a specific focus Adult and Further Education in Tasmania and how that has fared under the new model.”
“We are confident that this model, with the additional negotiated commitments, provides the checks and balances to make sure we get it right this time.”
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP also welcomed the negotiated outcome as setting a strong and positive example of cooperation and the capacity of the new arrangements to deliver good outcomes for Tasmanians.
“On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens MPs I wish to thank all the stakeholders, especially the AEU, for their assistance during these negotiations. I also wish to thank Greens Education spokesperson Paul O’Halloran, Premier David Bartlett, Minister Lin Thorp and their respective offices for their commitment to work with the Greens cooperatively and negotiate in good faith on this critical issue,” Mr McKim said.
Additional to the proposed new Post Year 10 model, the Greens secured the following guarantees:
1. An Implementation and Change Management ‘Taskforce’ (to be operating through 2nd half of this year in the lead up to the 2011 School year – and that the AEU have a representative on it.
2. Commitment for an independent review of progress, (i.e. chaired by an external and independent person with relevant education expertise) including but not restricted to a specific focus on Adult and Further Education in Tasmania, to be held at the end of the 1st half of the 2011 school year, June 2011.
3. Commitment to maintain public funding to the extent that the financial viability of the Skills Institute is secured.
4. Commitment that under the proposed new model the Skills Institute will remain a Statutory Authority, and therefore as such is not a State-Owned Company or a Government Business Enterprise.
5. Commitment that the Minister will instruct Leaders on Colleges that have gone into the TT model, to expedite necessary changes to be ready in time for the beginning of the 2011 school year.
