Autism school gets $8m in Vic funding

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THE Victorian government has announced an extra $8 million in funding for a prep to Year 12 autism school in Melbourne's west.

The funding will be allocated in Tuesday's 2013/14 state budget, Education Minister Martin Dixon says.

It will be added to $4 million the state government allocated in last year's budget for the school, which will be built on the same site as the Laverton P-12 college and cater to 140 students.

Mr Dixon says Melbourne's west is the only area without a dedicated P-12 autism school.

"The west have missed out and this government's delivering that special school," he said.

The school will open initially for Year 4 to 7 students by mid-2014.

Other pre-budget announcements include money for land for a new primary school in South Melbourne and three new schools in Melbourne's growing west.

It also comes on top of $11.5 million announced on Saturday for the first stage of a high school in Melbourne's outer north.

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$200m TAFE funding restored

New Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has restored $200 million in cuts made to the TAFE sector. Source: AAP

VICTORIA'S TAFE sector will receive an extra $200 million in new funding, less than 12 months after the government cut $300 million from vocational training.

Premier Denis Napthine and Minister for Higher Education Peter Hall today announced the new funding, which will be allocated over the next four years.

A report on TAFE reform, which was presented to Cabinet earlier this year, was also released.

The decision reverses a big chunk of the $290 million the State Government cut from TAFE in the latest Budget, which had prompted protests and program closures.

Mr Hall said the money would be allocated to TAFEs to undertake innovation and structural reforms.

“There is a $200 million funding over four years to support TAFE institutes better equip themselves to meet the challenges of the future but importantly to deliver the programs and courses their students and communities need,” Mr Hall said.

Dr Napthine would not confirm where the money was coming from, whether it would come from another area of the budget or from increased taxes or charges.

Of the 19 recommendations presented in the report the government accepted 12 in full, six in part and rejected a proposal to merge eight regional and rural TAFE institutes into four.

“I personally feel having local input and local management into our TAFE facilities will deliver a better outcome for local students and better outcome for local businesses,” Dr Napthine said.

Mr Hall denied the funding announcement was an admission last year’s massive budget cuts in the sector were a bad decision.

“I have supported always the decisions of government, both 12 months ago and again today. I readily acknowledge the transformation was difficult for TAFEs, this will assist to better equip them.”

As part of the announcements the government will also:

*  Transfer property titles to TAFE institutes, allowing them to re-invest proceeds of sales of infrastructure.

*  Reduce regulatory burdens by more clearly defining roles and responsibilities of TAFE institutes and departments.

*  Modernise TAFE institutes’ constitutions and provide a clearer understanding of government expectations.

*  Reclassify TAFE operations of dual-sector universities to bring them into line with other universities.

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