NSW Premier Mike Baird says any money raised from selling off TAFE campuses will be put back into the TAFE system, rejecting claims his government is downsizing public vocational education.
Greens MP John Kaye says a leaked cabinet document shows the NSW government is considering stripping $63 million from TAFE assets through the sale of land and buildings.
The document, marked "Cabinet in Confidence", was made available to media by Mr Kaye.
It identifies $63 million in proceeds from asset sales at TAFE campuses around the state, including $22 million from the full sale of the Chullora campus.
Proposed spending directs $32.3 million to new capital works including IT programs, while $22.2 million goes to minor capital works and equipment.
Mr Kaye claims the spending on IT is evidence of TAFE "being lined up for substantial downsizing" with a focus on online training.
"The IT spending is largely aimed at cutting teaching staff and replacing face-to-face learning with online packages," he said.
"Asset recycling means fewer opportunities for face-to-face teaching and more money squandered on dodgy information technology."
Mr Baird rejected the claim as "not true" but didn't rule out asset sales.
"I can assure you that if there are any plans to divest TAFEs, all those dollars will go back into TAFES, enhancement of facilities of TAFEs," the premier told AAP on Sunday.
"So yes, there may well be consideration of some facilities that might not be needed in the longer term, but as part of that, if there is any divestment, every single dollar raised in those divestments will go back into TAFE."
Share
