I support the motion moved by Dr John Kaye and will make some brief comments on behalf of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition. I congratulate Dr John Kaye on acknowledging that today is National TAFE Day.

We have spoken about TAFE in this House on a number of occasions this year because there seems to be an unprecedented campaign by the Government against TAFE. As a former TAFE teacher I wonder—as no doubt those in the profession must wonder—what this Government has against TAFE because of the level of animosity shown towards TAFE in wage negotiations and what is happening about the qualifications required by TAFE teachers and the sorts of courses offered by TAFE.

I believe that TAFE is quite dear to the hearts of many honourable members because of the opportunities that it offers to so many people for vocational training and second-chance education. TAFE is a great leveller in our society in that it offers educational opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom have dropped out of the traditional education treadmill but who find a way back to education through TAFE. Today is National TAFE Day and we must acknowledge the wonderful work done by teachers, students and non-teaching staff in TAFE institutes. They constitute a very professional and hardworking sector of education, and students come out of the TAFE environment with a wonderful blend of practical skills and educational knowledge.

TAFE teachers are often people who have reached excellence in their field in the community and in the private sector but who take a reduction in pay to teach at TAFE because they believe in the commitment of training young people to come into their field as apprentices or through other avenues. Those teachers now must feel as though this Government is kicking them when they are already down after making concessions with their working conditions and the hours they work. They are already making concessions, but the Government is demanding more. They have to work an additional 36 hours of face-to-face teaching, which is a 5.3 per cent increase. They have to teach up to 35 hours a week face to face with no right to refuse.

This Government railed against WorkChoices but it is saying to many workers who have families that they must work until 10 o'clock at night, and those workers are not able to refuse. Teaching hours are annualised with no excess hours being paid until the annual allocation is reached—conditions that many in this Chamber would not agree to and because of which many full-time teachers will say that they have had enough and they are out. We estimate a drop in the number of TAFE teachers.

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: Who is "we"? Is it the royal "we"?

The Hon. Robyn Parker: Experts, in fact. One has only to read the Allen report to understand just what value TAFE offers. TAFE offers $6.40 in value to the economy for every dollar spent. It makes economic sense to put money into TAFE to provide good conditions for its workers and to provide the sort of professional development that teachers have been used to. We are very supportive of Dr John Kaye's motion because we understand and value TAFE as providing a great service to vocational training. For the past 14 years successive Labor governments in New South Wales have systematically attacked TAFE. They have cut funds, they have raised student course fees and they have lowered TAFE teacher qualifications. The Government has starved TAFE of funds. Unfortunately, the recent decision to raise the school leaving age to l7 will put an extra strain on TAFE services and, at the same time, the Government has taken away a wonderful opportunity for students in year 10 to undertake TAFE courses.

Our belief in TAFE is reflected in our commitment to the long-term goal of 90 per cent of young adults attaining year 12 or equivalent, certificate III level or higher. The Liberal-Nationals Coalition believes that building a strong workforce is critical to rebuilding a strong economy that delivers jobs, quality services and infrastructure. When we talk about conditions of employment Government members, particularly the Hon. Greg Donnelly, ought to be quiet and listen because TAFE teachers do not support the Government. TAFE teachers understand what is happening.

The Hon. Greg Donnelly: They are not supporting you.

The Hon. ROBYN PARKER: You would be surprised how many TAFE teachers support the Liberal-Nationals Coalition and you would be surprised how many of them understand our support for the work they do. This Government's funding for TAFE compared with other States is appalling. We will not close our doors on students who are struggling in the school environment. We will not close our doors on TAFE teachers. We will support and acknowledge what they do in the workforce and what they do for long-term gains for our workforce.

The Government's demoralising of TAFE teachers is driving into the ground what was a high-quality vocational training institution that it should be rebuilding. The Government should be providing the flexible, well-resourced training institution that TAFE once was by supporting the TAFE teachers whom we acknowledge today. The Government should be providing flexible support for TAFE teachers instead of cost cutting and driving more productivity out of them. Government members can yell and scream, but TAFE teachers know that the Government has been silent when it comes to supporting their conditions and supporting the role they play in the workforce. Over the decades the Government has driven them into the ground.

When we compare funding in New South Wales with other States we can see that this year recurrent funding for vocational education and training increased by only 13.6 per cent in New South Wales between 1997 and 2007 compared with 80 per cent in Victoria and 60 per cent in Western Australia over the same period. Government members should hang their heads in shame because that is an indication of the lack of support for TAFE and TAFE teachers that the Government demonstrates over and over again.

This is a time when we should be focused on bolstering our economic future. The Rees Labor Government's incompetence means that New South Wales stands to lose. We know the value of the TAFE system and of TAFE teachers. Members opposite should be ashamed of themselves. The Opposition supports this motion and TAFE teachers and their demand that the Government go back to the drawing board and enter into further discussions. TAFE teachers have agreed to those discussions and would willingly participate in them. The TAFE teachers we have today will not be in the system during the National Year of TAFE. They will be working in other fields where they feel more valued. The Opposition supports this motion.