Forget the politics; build the Australian Technical College now
A previous entry on Ballina Info reports that Ballina is set to become the Richmond-Tweed area’s third major regional centre behind Lismore and Tweed Heads under the State Labor Government’s draft long-term strategy.
“NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor says the planning strategy will guide the region’s growth for the next 25 years and support the creation of up to 32,500 new jobs and homes for an additional 60,400 residents,” the report says.
“The blueprint outlines the Government’s vision for a ‘region of villages’ on the Far North Coast, across the local government areas of Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Kyogle.”
Our reports quotes the State Government as saying the strategy will:
- Allocate about 35 per cent of future housing for Lismore, Tweed Heads and Ballina.
- Prevent development in places constrained by coastal processes, flooding, wetlands, important and landscape of high scenic and conservation value.
- Ensure the 51,000 new homes to be built by 2031 are provided in a variety of locations and offer a choice in form and affordability.
- Provide rural residential opportunities around existing settlements but not in the coastal area, unless part of an approved rural residential release strategy.
Obviously, government recognises this region as a growth area. But we have a shortage of tradespeople, and we have high unemployment.
One solution to both these problems is the establishment of a technical trades college. Ballina High School has put in a bid to run the college, but a dispute which some people attribute to the Federal Government’s new industrial relations laws has seen Ballina’s bid put in doubt.
It’s time for government — Federal and State, Coalition or Labor — to stop the politics on this issue; we need the college now.
A failure to see its implementation as soon as possible will, in years to come, reflect badly on our present-day politicians.
How will those 32,500 new jobs promised under the regional draft strategy be created without nurturing the trades which will be necessary to build those homes for the additional 60,400 residents?
Will out-of-town contractors make another killing at local people’s expense, while our young people continue to be forced to leave the region to find employment?
Governments can say ‘no’ to both those questions by giving this region an Australian Technical College.
May 31st, 2006 at 5:54 pm
[...] * Previous entries on this subject: See http://www.ballina.info/blog/2006/05/19/forget-the-politics-build-the-australian-technical-college-now/ [...]