TAFE SA

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:45): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister inform the house of how many TAFE staff will be made redundant as a result of TAFE SA's announcement that it will amalgamate into a single body?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:45): I would like to thank the member for Unley for this question. As the member is well aware, this parliament last year approved legislation, supported by those on that side, to make TAFE a statutory corporation, and that became effective on 1 November. TAFE is now in the process of commencing a significant reform process.

The member for Unley would be aware that TAFE is now chaired by Mr Peter Vaughan. The TAFE board made statements a number of weeks ago that further detailed the reform process, and in that statement there was a reference to, potentially, over an 18-month period (I don't have it with me, so I am happy to come back and check) up to 150 people. Can I say that that figure needs to be balanced against what I believe will be a need to increase recruitment in TAFE to reflect the increasing enrolments in TAFE as a result of our very popular Skills for All initiative.

This is an issue that is very much on my mind. It's an issue that I am working closely on with TAFE and the board, and I also acknowledge the PSA and the AEU, and I'm working with them also. Everyone acknowledges that Skills for All is a very exciting initiative and that training is very important to the future of our state—and that was acknowledged in the economic statement. Everyone I have spoken to acknowledges that reform needs to occur in TAFE, but it is about how you get there. I thank those opposite for supporting the TAFE legislation last year, and I look forward to working with them.