NSW VOTES 2023

By Yvonne Gardiner

Lismore

Janelle Saffin (Labor)

The present skills shortages and lack of workers hit our economy and way of life.

It is a serious security problem and one that the former Federal Government never saw as its responsibility. The Perrottet Government is complicit in the way it has gutted our TAFE system, cutting courses in the regions.

The Nationals in government have let regional people down badly in this critical area of vocational education and training (VET).

A Minns Labor Government is committed to rebuilding TAFE. TAFE trains our workforce of today and for the future. TAFE must be funded to prepare, plan and keep us ahead of the emerging and changing needs of our society.

We must take advantage of the Federal Government’s 120,000 TAFE Fee Free and VET places with 10,000 new energy apprenticeships to a Net Zero Economy Task. They have an agreement in place with the NSW Government.

But we are yet to see regional plans.

We already have a small but significant manufacturing base with a strong export reach within our region, so why not have plans to enhance it?

If elected, I will work to bring the TAFE VET sector and co-operating parties together to embrace emerging regional opportunities and challenges.

I will seek to help co-operating par-