Labor hits back with call for a Bass TAFE

STATE Bass MP Jordan Crugnale hit back at the Liberals’ tech college pledge on Monday by declaring Bass needed a TAFE instead.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson promised Bass one of 10 technical colleges outside the old Wonthaggi tech site on Sunday.

“It is perplexing to see the Liberals talking about a tech school when what Bass Coast needs is a TAFE,” Ms Crugnale told the Sentinel-Times.

“Maybe it’s their history of ripping apart everything TAFE which drives their avoidance on the solution that our community, education providers, council, health services and industry have been advocating for.”

Ms Crugnale, who is not recontesting the seat, said Bass Coast College, Bass Coast Shire Council, Bass Coast Health, the Country Universities Centre, TAFE Gippsland and local employers had spent years making the case for a Wonthaggi TAFE.

She said they had put clear evidence of workforce shortages and training demand to Skills and Training Ministers.

TAFE Gippsland has also completed a business case.

But she conceded the money never came.

“Unfortunately, despite years of advocacy and broad community support, I have not been able to secure funding for this important investment, something I genuinely wanted to help deliver for our community,” she said.

Ms Crugnale said Bass Coast College, the largest secondary college in Gippsland, already ran VET programs, Head Start and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

“What is missing is the next step: a local TAFE that allows students to continue their training close to home,” she said.

“The business case has been completed.

“The support is there.

“The land adjoining the Bass Coast College Senior Campus has already been earmarked.”

She said Labor’s Bass candidate Chris Buckingham was a strong advocate for a local TAFE and would keep pushing for it if elected.

Mr Buckingham said the Liberals had not done their homework.

“We already introduced the VCE Vocational Major and we delivered 16 tech schools in partnership with our TAFEs and universities,” he said.

“This policy has no details and a student finishing primary school today will graduate before these schools are open.

“The Liberals cannot be trusted on education - they cut $1 billion from TAFE and closed 22 TAFE campuses across the state.”

Mr Buckingham said Labor’s record spoke for itself.

“When it comes to investment in training and education, the Labor Party has consistently delivered for decades,” he said.

“We rebuilt TAFE after Jeff Kennett and the Liberals ripped it apart.

“In Bass, we have made record investments in local primary and secondary schools, backed our teachers and ensured locals have access to free TAFE and free kinder.

“Results speak louder than words.”

He pointed to Labor figures claiming 121 new schools, free TAFE and the highest paid teachers in the country, and Labor claims the Liberals closed 350 schools and sacked thousands of teachers.

Labor said VCE Vocational Major enrolments had risen 30 per cent since the program began, with nearly 30,000 students enrolled in 2025.

It also accused the Liberals of giving no detail on where they would find land for the colleges.

“Now the Liberal One Nation-Coalition is promising $40 billion in cuts - they can’t pay for this and will sack teachers, close schools and shut down TAFEs across Victoria,” Mr Buckingham said.

“Labor will always put free access to education and training first, for all Victorians.”

The Liberals said their $222 million plan would deliver 10 colleges over eight years, each taking about 500 students from Years 10 to 12, funded from more than $24 billion in savings already announced.

They described Labor’s Tech Schools as drop-in centres with no vocational qualifications and said college sites would be chosen with families and the Department of Education.

Victorians go to the polls on November 28.