Christine Milne hits Ballarat to-morrow - TAFE topix at University of Ballarat in the day' Food policy at St Anne's Winery at night.

From John Stanger:

Hello fellow education advocates!

Meet Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne in Ballarat tomorrow as she meets with students and staff at Ballarat University as part of the Greens’ campaign to stop Labor’s $2.8 billion cuts to universities.  

The Greens have offered the following funded and costed policies for the election so far:

Prioritise TAFE: $1.2 billion TAFE rescue package that is quarantined for TAFE, not private providers: http://www.greens.org.au/TAFE
Investing in Universities: reverse Labor's $2.3 billion uni cuts and increase base funding per student by 10% http://greens.org.au/investing-universities
More school funding sooner: An extra $2 billion over the forward estimates on top of the government's $3 billion to help bring public schools up to the Schooling Resource Standard sooner. Additional funding will be directed to where it is needed most, including better assistance for kids with a disability: http://greens.org.au/school-funding

It's a rare chance to meet the Australian Greens leader Christine Milne here in Ballarat and you're all invited!

Join Christine for her media conference followed by a chance to chat and hear more:

WHO: Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne and the candidate for Ballarat Stephanie Hodgins-May and Ballarat University students.

WHERE: Library courtyard at Ballarat University, Mt Helen Campus

WHEN: 12.15pm TOMORROW Thursday 22 August

FOLLOWED BY: 12:30-1:30pm informal meet and greet with Christine Milne in The Hub Bistro, Albert Coates Building, UB Mt Helen campus.

If that's not enough, feel free to join Christine Milne, Senator Richard Di Natale and Stephanie Hodgins-May to Celebrate Australian Food with a free event at St Anne's Winery in Myrniong. 6:30pm, light food and a complimentary drink (local of course) provided.

Here's the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/557787730947181/?fref=ts

RSVP for the Celebration of Australian Food by email to: foodplanrsvp@vic.greens.org.au

Thank you, apologies for the partisan post but the intention is to connect with you and bring us together rather than spruik the Greens.

Hope you can join us,

Jon Stanger

0415 755 181

Ballarat rallies to stop TAFE cuts next Tuesday 21 May 12 noon - Ballarat School of Mines, Lydiard Street

Please help the Ballarat community to stop cuts to its TAFE.
We want, need you all there.
Ballarat students, people, businesses, community needs TAFE.

Ballarat needs a wide range of 
TAFE courses available to everyone.

TAFE can be the beginning of a new life or an embarkation on adult life.
Don't deny, by your absence at the rally, this important education.

Please be at the University of Ballarat School of Mines Campus
Lydiard Street, Ballarat
Tuesday 21 May at 12pm.

If you would like to have an A3 poster emailed to you,
please email me at
misseaglesnetwork@gmail.com

Still saving Ballarat TAFE - with the leadership and encouragement of Athan McCaw

For the last few months, I have been privileged to be part of a valiant group of people from diverse backgrounds and politics who have worked with one purpose - to save Ballarat's TAFE from the dire effects of the cuts (read vicious wounds) inflicted on our TAFE by Ted Baillieu and his cronies.  We have not, as far as we are aware, yet  been successful in our campaign.  We have not yet even considered giving up.  However, the year is drawing to a close. Our staunch President of the Ballarat Save TAFE Campaign has written to us to-day.  I love this letter from Athan and believe it needs a wider audience.  He has graciously given his permission for the letter to be published. Thank you Athan and Brett and everyone, particularly our Princess Sam, who have worked in such a positive and unified way to keep, for the citizens of Ballarat, a diverse and vibrant TAFE.  

~~~~

Dear Committee Member,

This year has seen a massive attack on TAFE not only here in Victoria but now across the country with Qld and NSW making similar cuts to that which faces us in Victoria. So far we have been proud and strong with our efforts to raise the concerns that will face the residents of the Ballarat community, we have banded together in our concerns for the community.

Our efforts have not fallen on deaf ears just upon deaf actions, our concerns at the start were well founded. This government has no real plans for a sector that props up our community other than to cut funding. As time moves forward we are seeing the on-going fallout from a government decision based not on what the community needs but on fiscal constraints. 300 million out of the public TAFE system because the previous government left it as a mess is what they tell us -  but in the same token they are spending record amounts on government advertising 500 million over 3 years, budget blow outs but they can find funding to search for "big cats".

Quite simply we must go on. We are yet to see a statement on funding from the opposition and we are yet to see the full impact on students and skills. 2013 will not be a year of opportunity for tens of thousands of Victorians. It will be a year of unemployment growth. As those in training or were looking to training will have to move to unemployment lines while they attempt to save the 10,000+ required to skill up to gain employment, the system will be dismantled to a stage where it may never recover.

The new year brings on more issues for the Ballarat community as around 1000 TAFE students make the transition to studying at Mt Helen, more pressure on Buninyong Rd,  more pressure on public transport and more pressure on the students themselves.  Our fight is far from over.

As Chair I would like to thank each member of the community that has stood with us in the fight and each member of this committee for all of their efforts to date in taking the message to the greater community about the impacts of these cuts. As committee members I ask you to put the 19th November at 5:30pm in your diary and make an effort to attend the last meeting of the year.  We will have some drinks and nibbles to celebrate our end of year.

Next year in 2013 our Committee and our work will be crucial as the cuts become evident - please remember our first meeting back will be Monday 11th February 5:30pm at Trades Hall - to arrange a strong resolution for Ballarat Councillors to table in late February, early March to coincide with the bulk of the job losses, course closures and campus sales and leases.

In closing the fight is just we just have to keep fighting -  see you on the 19th.

In Solidarity and Friendship,

Athan McCaw

Chair - Ballarat SAVE TAFE Committee

Yours in Solidarity

Athan McCaw
UB & ACU Branch Industrial Organiser

For more on the Save TAFE campaign,

please go here. 

Write to Ted & his Tearaways re TAFE cuts - here's the contact details

Sarah Bardsley posted in Save Our TAFE Community Action Group - Gippsland Sarah Bardsley 2 October 15:25 If you haven't already, why not tap out an email or pen a letter to your local member/s and the Premier, to let them know how you feel about the TAFE Cuts. Please spread the word and remember - Your voice counts Ted Baillieu Premier office #: (03) 9651 5000 Electoral office #: (03) 9882 4088 Email Address ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au Peter Hall State office #: (03) 9637 3300 Electoral office #: (03) 51 747066 For electorate matters email: peter.hall@parliament.vic.gov.au For ministerial matters email: peter.hall@minstaff.vic.gov.au Peter Ryan http://www.peterryan.com.au/contact-us Phone: 5144 1987 Electorate Office: 54B Cunninghame Street, SALE 3850 Tim Bull Email: tim.bull@parliament.vic.gov.au Mail: PO Box 1278, Bairnsdale, Victoria, 3875. Electorate Office: 143 Main Street, Bairnsdale, Victoria, 3875. Phone: (03) 5152 3491 Tell them how you feel about the TAFE CUTS www.peterryan.com.au

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

iamtheedge@live.com.au

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

TAFE4ALL

Ballarat SAVE TAFE Campaign

Campaign against the TAFE cuts (CATS)

Save Our TAFE Community Action Group - Gippsland

TAFE Cuts Ballarat

 [ 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 ]

Save TAFE at the University of Ballarat from death by a million Baillieu cuts. Petition and rally info here.

Sign the Save TAFE Ballarat petition here.

The Legislative Assembly of Victoria 

will be sitting in Ballarat on Thursday 

at the Mount Helen Campus of the University of Ballarat.  

Attend the Save TAFE Ballarat rally. 

Buses will be running to and from the City Centre.

 For more nformation please go here.

Related articles

• Rally to Save Ballarat Tafe - Thursday 6 September 1pm
• SAVE TAFES FROM TED'S CUTS - Actions continue to build across Victoria
• TAKE IT TO TED: Join the campaign wherever you are in Victoria to save TAFEs.
• Will this coalition survive?

RALLY TO SAVE BALLARAT TAFE - THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 1PM

Please be at the

Mount Helen Campus of the University of Ballarat

on Thursday 6 September at 1pm

to give a warm and toasty welcome to

Ted Baillieu and his TAFE Tearaways.

Apparently parking is difficult at Mount Helen.

Free buses will be available shuttling between

Ballarat City and the Mount Helen campus

approximately every 15-20 minutes between 11.30amd & 2.15pm.

Departure from:

Lydiard Street Campus SMB (boom gates)

Camp Street Campus  (old post office)

If you need further info or assistance:

please email

misseaglesnetwork(at)gmail(dot)com

Related articles

• SAVE TAFES FROM TED'S CUTS - Actions continue to build across Victoria
• TAKE IT TO TED: Join the campaign wherever you are in Victoria to save TAFEs.
• Thousands protest against Vic TAFE cuts
• Will this coalition survive?

SAVE TAFES FROM TED'S CUTS - Actions continue to build across Victoria

On Thursday, a group of Ballarat People travelled to Melbourne for the Rally to save TAFEs in Victoria.  A number of us are on the Save TAFE Ballarat Committee - and that includes Miss Eagle.  We massed outside the State Library in Swanston Street, moved along Swanston Street and up Bourke Street to Spring Street which brought us out directly in front of Parliament House.

For those who don't do rallies and demos in Melbourne, I must tell you what a wonderful venue Parliament House is for such events.  It has tiers of broad steps.  Sometimes people are on the steps, sometimes - especially when there are thousands as ours were - the whole intersection is closed off.  The design of the steps gives our friendly police somewhere to line themselves to prevent enthusiasts from dashing up the remaining steps to storm Parliament itself.  Conversely, the steps are great because friendly, supportive pollies can come out to greet us and support us.  You will see photos of them carrying their placards at the very top of the steps ... where the rest of us weren't.  I think perhaps a parliamentary venue being designed at this point in history might not be designed in such an accommodating way for protest!

TAFE staff and students rally in protest of Baillieu Government funding cuts

Two comments on this report - 

1. it ignores that community people such as me were present; people who have no connection with TAFE except that we are supporters and don't want them destroyed.
2. It puts the numbers at hundreds.  This is a vast underestimation.  I believe there were in excess of 1,000 people with a possibility of getting on or close to 2,000. Some have estimated 4,000 which could be possible.  And some enthusiasts have said 6,000 - but I suspect not.  

Angry protests as Baillieu defends TAFE cuts in times of uncertainty

Baillieu risks backlash on TAFE cuts 

TAKE IT TO TED - FIGHT THE TAFE CUTS

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Campaign continues....

On September 6, the Victorian Parliament is spreading itself around Central Victoria.  It is not just visiting but actually holding sittings in Bendigo and Ballarat.  Bendigo is playing host to the Upper House - the Legislative Council of Victoria.  Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly is coming to Ballarat. 

The Ballarat SAVE TAFE committee intends to ensure a warm, warm welcome for our State legislators and defunders of youth and further education.  Details of the Ballarat Sittings are on the link above - including bus timetables from Ballarat Railway Station to the Mount Helen campus of the University of Ballarat.  The rally is scheduled for Thursday 6 September at 1pm at the Mount Helen campus.  

To be confirmed:

Could Networkers please provide advice of what is planned for Bendigo?

We had people at a wonderful public meeting held recently in Geelong. If Networkers in Geelong see this post, could you please advise what is happening in your area?

I believe, but have yet to re-confirm, that two Save TAFE campaign shuttle buses will be running a continuous loop to and from the Ballarat city centre.  There will be two locations for departure from the city.

Any information you may have on meetings, actions, protests in regional Victoria could Networkers please email misseaglesnetwork(at)gmail(dot)com 

Join the campaign to Save TAFEs:

TAFE 4 ALL

TAFE cuts Ballarat

Save our TAFE community action group - Gippsland

Thousands protest TAFE cutbacks - Bendigo Advertiser

Save TAFE - save The Gordon

 REMEMBER -

TAKE IT TO TED!!!

Related articles

• TAKE IT TO TED: Join the campaign wherever you are in Victoria to save TAFEs.
• Will this coalition survive?
• Staff, students to protest TAFE cuts
• Vic govt must support TAFE sector: Evans
• Victorian TAFE cuts will suffocate state's productivity
• Thousands protest against Vic TAFE cuts
• Vic's Swinburne to close campus, cut jobs