The long, proud history of dedicated and highly skilled workers returning to teach the next generation of workers because of their commitment and passion for their vocation is under threat.

The Victorian TAFE system has been a cornerstone of Victorian development and growth for over 155 years.

The establishment of the Sandhurst Mechanics Institute in 1856 on the goldfields of Bendigo, and later in 1860 the Ballarat Mechanics Institute, were the beginnings of a long history of adult public education in the state that has helped build the futures of hundreds of thousands of Victorians.

The modern TAFE system has survived because of support for and a commitment to public education by various governments over those 155 years. Over the last 10 years that commitment has started to falter.

The Baillieu Government has decided that it will support private, for-profit businesses to provide education and training in competition to TAFE.

Despite the fact that since the introduction of the Skills Reform Policy 16 of the 18 TAFE's now operate at a deficit, the Government has slashed funding to TAFE to fund the expansion of the private, for-profit business sector.

It is stating the obvious, but the private, for-profit sector is involved in education and training to make money.

TAFE has been here to make a future for individuals and Victoria.

When there are no more profits to be made out of adult education and training in Victoria, the private businesses will move on and go and make money elsewhere.

If the Baillieu Government continues to do nothing to support the public TAFE system and fails to addresses the crisis created by the use of market-based mechanisms in public education and training, then who do they think will be here when the profits dry up and those who are only interested in making a buck move on?

Highly skilled, professional and dedicated TAFE teachers are being made redundant because the government has taken money from TAFE to give to for-profit businesses.

Minister Hall must stop the Skills Reform madness and make an open and public commitment to all Victorians that he will stop taking public money off the public TAFE system to give to private companies to increase their profits.

The public TAFE system has survived for 155 years. It is now up to Minister Hall to show some courage and ask Victorians about the future of TAFE for the next 155 years.

The Victorian public must be included in an open review of the current Skills Reform Policy and the future of the public TAFE system.