The future looks increasingly grim for our youngsters who depend on TAFE for their education.

That’s because our TAFE system is in crisis.

Funding, teachers’ jobs, classes - all are being cut.

Yet yesterday in Wollongong, a Senate hearing into the TAFE system had to be abandoned when the Coalition couldn’t find a single senator with the time - or perhaps the interest? - to attend.

What a joke.

The farce ensued when the Coalition’s designated representative, Western Australia Liberal senator Chris Back, pulled out, claiming he was too busy.

Back could have nominated another Coalition senator to attend instead but says he couldn’t find one who was available.

Apparently, all 34 Coalition senators had a note from mum excusing them from class, for one reason another or another.

Yet these are not kids. They are elected representatives who each earn a basic salary of $195,130 a year.

But without a Coalition representative, the hearing could not proceed. It’s in the rules, you see.

So, at the last minute, the hearing had to be cancelled.

We say: our youngsters, our teachers and this region deserve better than this slap in the face, this Back-hander.

It’s just not good enough.