By JESSE GRAHAM
EXPRESSIONS of interest for Lilydale’s former Swinburne University campus will only be open for TAFE providers and dual-sector universities, according to Education Minister James Merlino.
The Mail reported last week that the former Swinburne campus could be the site of the Yarra Ranges’ new technical school under the recently-released State Budget.
Education Minister, Deputy Premier and Monbulk MP James Merlino said there may be an opportunity to have the tech school on the site, but that talks on the campus’s future were continuing.
In response to questions sent by the Mail, received after last week’s deadline, Mr Merlino said the expressions of interest (EOI) in the site would be open to TAFEs and dual-sector universities which provided TAFE and higher education courses.
“The Labor Government is continuing work preparing the expressions of interest process, with the expectation that the Lilydale campus will re-open in the first-half of 2016,” he said.
Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe said that limiting the EOI process to TAFE and dual-sector universities excluded traditional universities which do not provide TAFE courses.
“By excluding traditional universities from their EOI process, the Andrews Government is setting limits on what our children can aspire to become,” she said.
“It is very disappointing, especially after all the arm waving and shouting the minister did before the election.”
Prior to the election, Mr Merlino, Premier Daniel Andrews and campaigners met at the former campus where Mr Andrews promised the site would be re-opened for TAFE and university courses should Labor be elected.
Mr Merlino said the government’s $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund included a provision of $10 million in this year’s budget for re-opening the campus, which was also promised before the election.
An EOI process under the former government last year resulted in no provider taking up the site because none of the proposals fitted the strict criteria of maintaining the site as an educational precinct.
