Students and community leaders have long argued the new Dapto TAFE is unacceptable.
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Now it seems NSW Skills Minister Adam Marshall shares the same view.
The Minister’s admission came during State Parliament’s Budget Estimates hearing on Monday.
Greens MP and TAFE spokesperson Dawn Walker pointed out that the TAFE website directs students to the railway station or the shopping mall to use the toilet facilities.
‘’Do you think that is an acceptable standard for a TAFE facility, Minister?’’ asked Ms Walker.
‘’No, I do not,’’ Mr Marshall replied.
Ms Walker also found it ‘’insulting’’ that the Minister had not yet visited the Dapto TAFE shopfront, despite it being the first of a model that the NSW Liberal-Nationals plan to roll out across the country.
‘’The Government’s embarrassing admission that the Dapto TAFE shopfront is not at an acceptable standard due to a lack of basic amenities, such as toilets is an appalling reflection of the Liberal-National Government’s poorly thought-out and chaotic TAFE agenda,’’ she said.
‘’It appears that the Government has no idea about the disgraceful situation that has left local students without access to basic amenities, no library and no practical trade courses at Dapto.’’
TAFE NSW managing director Jon Black was also at the hearing. Asked whether the Dapto TAFE facility was nothing more than a shopfront, Mr Black said it was now called an ‘’access point’’.
Ms Walker said it was bizarre that the Government was suddenly saying that the shopfront was not a ‘Connected Learning Centre’, despite it being branded as such for all to see on the front of the building.
‘’When I visited Dapto TAFE in June, I was stunned to see a small shopfront with no students,’’ she said.
‘’It’s madness that this sub-standard, shopfront facility that holds approximately 22 students is what the NSW Government has decided to replace a vibrant TAFE campus with 650 students and over 100 staff with.
‘’The NSW Government and Minister Adam Marshall need to take urgent action to ensure adequate facilities, including toilets are immediately installed at the Dapto TAFE shopfront for students, but ultimately they should reverse their ill-thought out agenda to close TAFE campuses and stop experimenting with the Dapto community.’’
