Agricultural Colleges
The Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture in Yanco is one of two agricultural colleges in NSW. The other college is known as CB Alexander Agricultural College located in Tocal. As their names suggest, each of these colleges are specifically devoted to providing courses — both theoretical and practical, to persons interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. These colleges are unique in that their raison d’etre is to provide services for those seeking to specialise in the field of agriculture.
Late 2003 saw a decision by the Government, put forward by the Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald, to close full time courses at the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture. This meant that the residential component of the courses offered at this College would cease to exist and that the residential facilities at the Murrumbidgee College would also be removed as a result.
Accordingly, many individuals studying at the Murrumbidgee College would have been obliged to travel to Tocal in order to complete their education. This prompted widespread and ongoing concern in the community and some MPs called for a moratorium on the closure of the residential component of the College. There was considerable support for this moratorium however Minister Ian Macdonald did not accept that the moratorium should occur.
Minister Ian MacDonald supported the decision to close full-time courses at the Murrumbidgee College mainly with two points. First, the amount of money supporting the student base at Murrumbidgee did not warrant the actual number of students at the College, which was progressively in decline. As pointed out by Minister MacDonald:
“full-time enrolments at the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture have been steadily declining for 10 years — well before the drought began — while demand for short courses for farmers has increased. As a result, it is simply not responsible to continue the status quo.”
Second, the Minister stated that “given that Tocal has performed so admirably over the past few years, Tocal is the better place to concentrate full-time residential education”. Minister MacDonald also said the following in support of the Government’s decision:
“In my view, full-time residential education should be continued at Tocal, with continuing education, which is an increasingly important part of agricultural education, particularly for farmers in the field … I believe that we can concentrate effectively on full-time and part-time residential courses at Tocal and do continuing education at Yanco. That is our position and that position will not change.”
The Government’s position did not change. Full-time courses at Murrumbidgee College were no longer offered from December 2003 thus resulting in responsibility for the provision of full-time courses being placed on CB Alexander Agricultural College.
The Government’s decision to discontinue full-time courses at the Murrumbidgee College prompted an inquiry into the decision-making processes behind this move. The inquiry was referred on 5 May 2004 to General Purpose Standing Committee No.5, and instructed to inquire into and report on the closure of the residential training at the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture. The terms of reference require the Committee address such things as:
the process by which the decision was made to close the residential training,
the community and industry consultation that preceded the announcement of the proposal,
the impact on the Leeton and Yanco communities and district, and
the reasons why Murrumbidgee and Tocal Colleges have not been transferred to the Department of Education and Training.
The final report is due on 21 October 2004.
Two major developments have been foreshadowed in relation to the State Agricultural colleges and may potentially be raised in the Inquiry into Murrumbidgee College. First, the Treasurer announced on 3 June 2004 that severe funding cuts to the Colleges would be made in the near future.
These cuts potentially amount to $1.8 million dollars. If this funding cut is implemented, it would result in the sacking of 20 staff in total — 15 staff at Tocal together with one at Tamworth/Gosford and four at Yanco. A concerned life member of CB Alexander Agricultural College has indicated that:
“Such a severe reduction in funding will make it impossible for Tocal to operate without reduction in student numbers, both full-time and part-time, and the inability to provide the wide ranging agricultural education to external students for which Tocal is renowned worldwide … in China, the United Kingdom and Europe as well as the other States in Australia.”
Further this person has emphasised:
“All full-time students (currently about 105) will obtain jobs in the agricultural industry when they leave the College and the part-time students (about 45) are employed in the dairy and associated industries. As well, the external students (about 550) are already engaged in agriculture. Inevitably the cutbacks in services which would result in serious funding would affect both full-time, part-time and external students and have a very serious adverse effect on agriculture generally.”
Second, Andrew Refshague the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Training has indicated (in correspondence that we have received) that funding for the colleges will be taken out of the hands of NSW Agriculture and given to the Department of Education for the management and operation of the Colleges. Mr Refshague indicated on 28 April 2004 that:
“As a result of the Commonwealth’s funding decisions … it has been necessary to reallocate the Commonwealth recurrent funds normally allocated to NSW Agriculture to TAFE NSW to support agricultural skills development and to the Board of Adult and Community Education for regional and rural delivery of accredited VET.”
A concerned life member has pointed out that:
“Tocal should not become a part of the Department of Education and Training as its objectives are quite different from ordinary educational organizations … It is entirely related to agricultural education and as such sits more properly under the Department of Agriculture … As it is, serious funding cuts have been notified to ‘Tocal’ which will affect its ability to service its students, both full-time and part-time and quite frankly, I would suggest that if it is bought under Education and Training further cuts would be likely which would make it impossible to perform the functions which have been carried out by ‘Tocal’ as the primary agricultural education authority in New South Wales.”
As an aside and on 24 February 2004, Minister MacDonald was asked whether there were any latest developments in relation to the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture. Minister MacDonald emphatically stated that earlier on in the day, a “bold new partnership involving Charles Sturt University and NSW Agriculture” was announced. This partnership followed a recent restructure of the college to focus more closely on continuing education. Minister MacDonald said the following:
“From this week Charles Sturt University and NSW Agriculture have agreed to a close collaboration to help set the future direction for the college. At the centre of this effort will be a working group that will include officials from both bodies, as well as the local community.”
With all this in mind I will ask in Parliament this week, the Minister, the following question without notice:
I ask the Hon Ian Macdonald MLC, a question without notice:
Is it a fact that Commonwealth Recurrent (Growth Funds) will no longer be paid to NSW Agriculture for the management and operation of CB Alexander Agricultural College “Tocal” but instead will be paid to the Department of Education for the same purposes?
Is the Minister aware that Tocal Agricultural College has exclusively specialised in the provision of agricultural training and practical experience since its inception in 1965? Is the Minister aware that, the College was handed over by the Presbyterian Church to the Minister for Agriculture as a working agricultural college in 1969 and accepted by the then Minister on this basis?
Is the Minister aware that Tocal Agricultural College has provided its services to more than 3500 full-time students since it was established and that 95 per cent of such students have since been employed in agriculture? Is the Minister also aware that every year Tocal College has 500 part-time students and 6000 individuals completing short courses?
Further, is the Minister aware that the courses provided by Tocal are generally complementary to those offered within the TAFE or more currently known as the Vocational Education and Training Sector (VET Sector)?
Can the Minister confirm that the Department of Education is equipped with the necessary experience and resources to effectively man the operation of a college that deals exclusively with agricultural education?
I will let you know what he has to say in response.
THIS IS GORDON MOYES.
