The Senate will tomorrow vote on a motion to save the Australian Technical College Northern Tasmanian. The motion (see attached) was today lodged by Liberal Senators Guy Barnett, Richard Colbeck and Stephen Parry.
Senator Barnett will also table 4,685 petitions in the Senate as a testament to people power and the overwhelming community support for the ATCNT, with more signatures still to be collected.
"Each and every one of these signatures sends a message to the Federal Government that the Tasmanian community wants to keep the ATCNT," Senator Barnett said.
"I also questioned the Government in question time today about the ATCNT and called on them to support the ongoing operation of the College.
"In just 3 years of operation, the ATCNT has received over 40 awards for students and staff, including Warwick Johnstone being named the Tasmanian and Australian School Based Apprentice of the Year in 2007. The ATC is also the current Registered Training Organisation (RTO) of the Year in Tasmania.
"Why then would you shut it down?
"The only thing the ATC has done wrong is to be an initiative of the Howard Government which Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd have attempted to destroy. Premier David Bartlett also called it an 'ill conceived political stunt'
"The fact that a credible consortium has also now emerged to operate the college into the future also sends a message, and the Government must listen," Senator Barnett said.
Representatives of the ATCNT were also in Canberra today for meetings with the Government and with the Opposition. ATCNT CEO Nigel Hill and Learning Facilitator Mark Kenzie met with Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, Opposition Minister for Training Andrew Southcott MP and senators Barnett and Colbeck to put their case for the future of the College, ahead of their meeting with representatives of the Federal Education Minister, Julia Gillard.
Senator Barnett is set to speak in the Senate on this issue tonight.