Mount Evelyn
9 Tuesday, 20 January, 2015
20 years of mourning
3
Carvin’ it up
A Mail Newspaper Group publication
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■ Fyffe holds minister to his promise and calls for...
TAFE timeline By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM EVELYN MP Christine Fyffe has called on Education Minister James Merlino to announce a timeline for the reopening of Swinburne Lilydale. But Mr Merlino said last week that the Minister for Skills and Training, Steven Herbert, had been in talks with Swinburne management but as yet no arrangement had been made. “The Minister for Skills and Training has had a positive meeting with the Vice Chancellor and senior staff at Swinburne to discuss the best option for the re-opening of the Lilydale campus,“ he said. “The minister will engage with TAFE and higher education providers to ensure the best outcome for the region.” The University and TAFE provider was shut down in mid-2013 as a result of cuts to TAFE made by the Baillieu Government. In March 2014, Labor leader Daniel Andrews announced that the facility would be re-opened under a Labor Government and committed $10 million to the refurbishment of facilities. Mr Merlino said Labor was rebuilding the system after the severe funding cuts. “We cannot forget that the Liberals took this campus away and the Andrews Labor Government is going to put it back, because our kids deserve the best start,” Mr Merlino, who is also the Member for Monbulk, said. At an adjournment debate on 23 December last year, Ms Fyffe said constituents were “entitled to have answers to their questions” on the promised reopening. “The minister has made
many statements about reopening the site, yet the community has no information as to when and by whom,” Ms Fyffe said in a speech to parliament. Ms Fyffe also addressed the “unrealistic” rental fees set by Swinburne, preventing the new Box Hill TAFE campus from moving onto the site. “Box Hill Institute has instead leased a former new car dealership site in the centre of Lilydale within easy walking distance of transport and shops.” Mr Merlino reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the TAFE system, stating that the government was working to find a suitable provider to take over the site. He said the government had brought forward the first part of its TAFE funding, for more immediate benefit to students. “The Andrews Labor Government is committed to rebuilding our struggling TAFE system, after the previous Coalition Government’s cuts brought the sector to its knees. That’s why we’re fast tracking the first $20 million of our $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund. “The fast-tracked funding will help TAFEs in financial turmoil to stay afloat, so they can retain staff and improve training, courses and job opportunities for students.” A building on the site of the former university is currently being leased by Melba Support Services, which has been given $1 million to build on the site. Other buildings on the former campus sit vacant. Box Hill Institute’s Lilydale campus will open its doors to students later this month.
Ready to party - in nine months! MOUNT Evelyn’s Street Party may still be nine months away, but Tim and Paula Herlihy, left, Yolande Pickett, Bram Marvell, Dianne Bull, Cheryl Mackay, Miranda Marvell and Cassie Mackay are already ramping up the preparations for the gigantic biennial event. The group is made up of just some of the people organising a sub-committee through the Mount Evelyn Township Improvement Committee (METIC) to organise the street party, which will be held on 14 October. Drawing around 5000 people to the area and containing displays from almost every community group in the area, organising the party is a colossal task, and the group is looking for people to come on board. For more information, turn to page 3.
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