Contact talkback radio

Call your local talkback radio station and tell them how disappointed you are with the State Government's decision to make TAFE unaffordable.

It'll only take a few minutes of your time — but the impact will be a big one. The community deserves to know that funding cuts are making it increasingly difficult for the public TAFE system to compete with dodgy private colleges.

The Government is using taxpayers' money to subsidise private companies to make millions of dollars in profit by offering often dodgy and overpriced training in areas with little employment prospects.

TAFE, on the other hand, is still trying to meet its obligation of providing affordable, high-quality training by fully qualified teachers that meets significant skills shortages — on an ever-shrinking budget.

We won't stand for it. Let's work together to spread the word that our TAFEs are for everyone, not just those who can afford it.

A few radio pointers:

You'll only have a short amount of time to get your point across, so have a think about what you want to say and jot down a few notes before you call up. Here are a few of the key points you'll want to get across:

• The Baillieu Government is cutting funding to TAFE - job losses will run into the hundreds and the costs for students are becoming unaffordable.
• For people who need to get more skills, but already have a degree or diploma, they'll have to pay full course costs, which could be as much as $20,000.
• Students only get once chance at government support for entry-level training. So if they've completed a Certificate II in Food Handling at McDonalds, for example, they are now ineligible for government funding to do a Certficiate II Pre-Apprenticeship or the like.
• You're part of a campaign that is fighting to end the unfair TAFE fees and you don't think TAFEs should be made to compete with potentially dodgy private education providers.

Remember to turn your radio off in the background and relax — it's easy.

The phone numbers for your area:

Metro

ABC 774 — Ph: 1300 222 774
5.30-8.30AM Red Symonds
8.30-11.30AM Jon Faine
1-3PM Richard Stubbs
3-5PM Lindy Burns

3AW — Ph: (03) 9690 0693
5.30-8.30AM Ross & John
8.30-12noon Neil Mitchell
12noon-4PM Denis Walter
4PM-6PM Darren Hinch

Morwell, Traralgon, Gippsland & Sale

ABC Gippsland — Ph: 1300 295 222
Radio Gippsland FM 104.7 — Ph: (03) 5134 8444

Wangaratta

3NE — Ph: (03) 5722 1566
Edge FM 102.1 — Ph: (03) 5722 1566
OAK FM — Ph: (03) 5722 1569

Western Victoria

ABC Western Victoria — Ph: 1300 594 222
3WM — Ph: (03) 5382 5007
3YB — Ph: (03) 5564 3888
3WL — Ph: (03) 5560 3110

Shepparton

ABC Goulburn Murray — Ph: 1300 147 222
98.5 FM — Ph: (03) 5831 3131

ABC Mildura/Swan Hill — Ph: 1300 043 222
3HA — Ph: (03) 5571 9981
3MA FM — Ph: (03) 5025 9126
99.5 STAR FM — Ph: (03) 5023 0231

ABC Shepparton — Ph: 1300 977 222

Bendigo/Ballarat

ABC Central Victoria — Ph: 1300 813 911
103.1 Power — Ph: (03) 5331 1277
3BA — Ph: (03) 5331 1277

Geelong

K-Rock FM — Ph: (03) 5223 2955