Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Baillieu Bungles in Ballarat - stonewalling on TAFEs translates to false assumptions and arrogance

THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE BALLARAT'S TAFE
FROM DESTRUCTION AT THE HANDS OF
THE BAILLIEU GOVERNMENT CONTINUES.
The Premier was greeted by campaigners for TAFE BALLARAT when he attended a business breakfast at Alexandra's on Lydiard Street this morning.



Baillieu's Breakfast

Protesters outside Alexandra's on Lydiard
where 75 guests were expected -
but less than that number was observed in attendance

Some of those in attendance (collage)

Ballarat Student want’s apology 
from arrogant, out of touch Premier

Ballarat Student Ann Healey was one of the SAVE TAFE protestors who got up very early this morning to meet Premier Baillieu as he arrived in Ballarat to speak at the Ballarat BisNet Breakfast at the Alexandria on Lydiard Street.

The quiet and peaceful protest was to highlight, once again, the damage TAFE cuts are doing to Ballarat’s social and economic future and provide the Premier with an opportunity to stop for just a few moments and talk about his motivations for slashing VET and TAFE.

After saying a friendly good morning to the other attendees as they headed upstairs to hear from the Premier about his vision for the state, the Premier arrived.

Ann in a very friendly manner extended her hand to Mr Baillieu, wishing him a good morning and asked if he would like to talk about the TAFE cuts for a few moments before heading upstairs.

Instead of a jovial response or a good morning in reply, the arrogant and out of touch Premier pocketed his hands and displayed his lack of understanding and any sort of decency or manners by accusing her of being an “electorate officer,”  then arrogantly sweeping past with a smug grin at his own misplaced and inappropriate joke.

The Premier's misdirected joke however was at his own expense as Ann is a student and now wants an apology from the out of touch Premier who accused her of being nothing more than a political operative, denying and belittling her voice and her passion to save TAFE and tertiary education so others can have the opportunities she has had.
 
Ann does not belong to a political party and has never worked as an ‘electorate officer,’ but as a student is only too aware about what these cuts mean.

Once again the Premier is failing to recognise the issues affecting TAFE and unwilling to even spend a moment speaking about them with those affected.

The sheer arrogance of the Premier was on display this morning to the protestors, some media and guests who were arriving.

Yet another smug one liner that is becoming the hallmark of an out of touch Premier with no ideas.

Mr Baillieu obviously thinks that the large movement of SAVE TAFE protestors across country Victoria is nothing more than an orchestrated politically motivated movement that is all about him.  

He could not be more wrong, the movement is growing, it’s concerns shared with groups like AIG, VFF, the TAFE Association and VECCI who are only too aware of the damage these cuts will do to the future of skills and opportunities in the state.

When asked at the Breakfast upstairs what his vision for the state was, the Premier, unlike his quick quip at Ann was left struggling to articulate any passion or conviction.

Once again the need for the Victorian community to speak out against these cuts is highlighted, we cannot all possibility be electoral officers can we?

Ballarat SAVE TAFE Committee
For further information please contact
Brett Edgington
Secretary – Ballarat SAVE TAFE Committee
0412 152 567


University of Ballarat VET and TAFE Cuts
·       43 Courses cut
·       3 schools cut – from 7 to 4
·       Approximately 100 jobs from teachers and support staff lost
·       2200 student places per year less
·       $20 million dollars a year cut from University of Ballarat’s Budget
·    Fee increases in remaining courses of up to 600% to cover the loss of “Full Service Provider Funding”
·      The Brewery Complex Building sold to School of Mines in 1994 to facilitate TAFE growth, closed to TAFE and leased out
·       Plans to consolidate land titles to start leasing and selling of more campus space – potential for TAFE city presence to become only the Trade Training Centre and new Skills Centre


JOIN THE FIGHT FOR TAFES

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE CAMPAIGN

ACROSS VICTORIA

 [ I am sure there are other protest sites about
regarding TAFE.  If you wish your site to be added
please email me at misseaglesnetwork(at)gmail(dot)com ]




No comments:

Post a Comment

This blog does not take Anonymous comments. Experience shows that comments cluttered with "Anonymous" are boring and people don't know whether "Anonymous" is one person or many. This is not a decision about freedom of speech. It is a decision about boring or unwillingness to be known by even a pseudonym.

Total Pageviews