The procession of politicians to Nowra continued in earnest yesterday as the Liberal and Labor campaigns converged on the Shoalhaven.
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NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet led the cavalcade wearing blue while in the red corner there was Labor's spokesman for skills and TAFE, Tim Crakanthorp.
Mr Perrottet sampled oysters and toured sheds at Greenwell Point, joined by South Coast MP Shelley Hancock and Liberal candidate Luke Sikora. He also announced a small grant program for seafood producers.
The Seafood Innovation Program will offer grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses in the seafood industry.
The Premier stopped at Greenwell Point's Pelican Rocks Cafe, for a lunch with local politicians including Ms Hancock, Mr Sikora, and Councillor Serena Copley.
It is understood he also spoke with members of the Veteran Surf Project about the project's ongoing work helping veterans with PTSD.
Meanwhile, across town at Nowra TAFE, Mr Crakanthorp and Labor candidate for Kiama, Katelin McInerney, decried the alleged mismanagement of NSW's vocational training system.
While touting Labor's intent to run a full-scale review of TAFE NSW, the pair said Nowra TAFE was suffering from neglect: its staff had been cut by half, and enrolments were down 41 per cent.
"It's been 12 long years of neglect for the TAFE system, and our communities are suffering as a result," Ms McInerney said.
"This campus had 120 teachers, then along came this government and a deliberate attack on the system, and we're down to 53.
"It's vital that we put money back into TAFE, that we reinvigorate our TAFEs right across the board."
Mr Crakanthorp reiterated Labor's election pledge to commit 70 per cent of the state's vocational education funding to TAFE.
Government refutes claims
The government refuted Labor's claims of neglect, and further accusations of not implementing recommendations of the Shergold Gonski review.
Mr Perrottet maintained his position that TAFE was in better shape with a $3.1 billion of investment in the skills sector from the government.
"We've invested record amounts in skills and training in New South Wales," he said.
"The TAFE system today is so much stronger than it was under Labor."
According to minister for skills and training Alister Henskens, the current government has invested 74 per cent of its $3.1 billion skills budget into TAFE state-wide.
Nowra TAFE has received $2 million since 2020. The minister said much of the money went to expanding carpentry facilities, and equipment for automotive and welding courses.
"Labor is obsessed with talking down TAFE, but offers no genuine plan, policies or vision for Australia's largest and best training provider," Mr Henskens said.
"Under the Liberal and Nationals Government, TAFE NSW Nowra has expanded its delivery of critical skills training in areas such as electrotechnology and carpentry and continues to support the region's skills needs in aged care and commercial cookery."
Education pledge
On Wednesday NSW Labor pledged to reopen the former site of the Shoalhaven Anglican School at Milton for public education.
Before the 2019 election, a community campaign forced the Department of Education to purchase the Shoalhaven Anglican School site following the school's closure.
Retiring South Coast MP, Shelley Hancock, described the site as "a world-class facility that is sitting idle".
Labor's plan would also deliver upgraded school facilities across the former Anglican school site at Milton, Ulladulla High School, Ulladulla Public School and Milton Public School.
The Liberal candidate for the seat Luke Sikora told ABC the Coalition had plans to use the site for public education, specifically for the relocation of the Budawang School for Specific Purposes.
The Greens candidate Amanda Findley, who doubles as Shoalhaven mayor, has previously said she would prioritise building a new school at the site if elected.
