The Rockliff Liberal Government today revealed at Budget Estimates that they have failed to deliver on a 2021 election promise to recruit 100 new TasTAFE teachers and don’t have a plan to deliver on it either. 

When pressed to tell Tasmanians what net increase in teachers the Government had delivered since 2021, Minister Ellis tried to claim that “69 FTE new teachers and teacher equivalents” had been hired since the 2021 election promise. 

However under questioning, the Minister admitted that 24 FTE (full time equivalent) were accounted for as a result of teachers working longer hours due to TasTAFE’s removal from State Service working conditions and were not new teachers as initially claimed. 

The Tasmanian Liberals’ election policy to deliver 100 new TasTAFE teachers, no longer available online, committed to investing $37.5 million to provide for “100 extra TasTAFE teachers to train more young Tasmanians.” 

“They’ve recruited just 45 of the promised 100 new teachers with no plan for incentives to recruit the remaining teachers,” said AEU Tasmania President David Genford. “That’s not even half the teachers they promised.” 

“Minister Ellis referred to the national skills shortage and difficulty in attracting licensed trade workers but has completely failed to develop a plan to address it,” said Mr Genford. 

“It appears the Minister is just waiting for these teachers to fall into his lap and he’s going to see ‘who becomes available.’” 

When asked about a plan to reach the original target of 100 new teachers, TasTAFE CEO Grant Dreher said committing to any timeline would be “highly optimistic” and confirmed that there were no financial incentives being offered to recruit teachers. 

Mr Dreher said accommodation was a major barrier to recruiting interstate worker who would have been prepared to move here with family. 

Minister Ellis said they were looking for a very “targeted” set of teachers and skills, only to be immediately contradicted by Mr Dreher who noted “broad needs” with teacher shortages affecting electrotechnology, plumbing, construction, aged care, disability and nursing. 

“The Minister was also forced to take on notice a question about the number of courses cancelled or deferred since 2021 due to protracted teacher shortages,” said Mr Genford. 

“This Government have failed yet again to even come up with a plan to fix the crisis in our schools, colleges and TAFE campuses. They have no plan to ensure educators and students are supported. 

“The Rockliff Government would be well advised to focus on fixing the workforce crisis by employing more people, not creative accounting techniques. Teachers are pretty good at maths. The Government will have to do better than fudge the numbers in their homework.”