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Greg Warren says a recently released TAFE report “will abolish TAFE as we know it”. Both Mr Warren and Macquarie Fields MP Anoulack Chathivong say the TAFE NSW Strategic Plan 2016-22 Modernising TAFE NSW confirms that the publicly owned institute intends to make the move towards privatisation. The report – signed off by commission board chairman Terry Charlton and TAFE NSW managing director Jon Black – said “maintaining the status quo is not an option” and by January 2019 the organisation hoped to be “moving towards corporatisation”. The dreaded “c” word did not go unnoticed by the two local MPs. “This is ultimately what our whole fight to try and save TAFE is,” Mr Warren said. “January 2019 is the deadline to save TAFE. "Corporatisation is privatisation – they are not saying that but we are.” Macquarie Fields MP Anoulack Chanthivong agreed. “Privatisation means fewer people in the community can access the skills they need to get ahead in life and get a job,” he said. Skills Minister John Barilaro did not clarify exactly what corporatisation exactly meant though he denied suggestions TAFE would be privatised. “TAFE will not be privatised,” he said. “TAFE will remain the public provider for vocational education in NSW – anyone who says otherwise is lying. “Under the new TAFE model, we will invest heavily in improving course delivery and content, so that regardless of whether a student walks into TAFE in Castle Hill, Coonabarabran, or Cooma, they can expect, and will receive, the same high-quality, industry-relevant training The report said TAFE NSW had “successfully adjusted to change for more than 130 years”. Mr Warren did not believe a move towards corporatisation was successfully adjusting to change. “Corporatisation by definition is taking responsibility away from government and moving it towards the private sector,” he said. “It must remain in government hands.” The report did not mention anything specifically about the future of the Campbelltown or two Ingleburn campuses. Opposition skills spokeswoman Pru Carr said “no amount of corporate jargon can disguise the fact that come January 2019 TAFE will be a completely different organisation to the one that we know today”.

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