Commenting on the story: TAFE students hit with $10,000 course fee after subsidy axed

I run an 85-year-old business that supports professional photographers. Currently we employ close to 25 staff in our workshop in Kent Town, making products for professional photographers Australia-wide. These past five years have seen significant growth for us.

We see the industry as being very healthy, and in need of well trained participants. We have employed graduates from TAFE, UniSA, The Centre for Creative Photography and private RTOs teaching photography, and while the training is not specific to our requirements, these staff have been valuable.

The big shift in the photographic industry that may have triggered the Department of Innovation and Skills to defund this course for TAFE, is the lack of advertised employment positions for photographers. While this lack of advertised jobs is a fact, the industry has seen real growth in photographers as sole traders operating from home or shared spaces, or perhaps as staff members embedded in an organisation in a role with photography as part of the job.

While many of these participants operate in a in a part-time capacity, this is a real growth sector that requires training not just in photography, but in the business of photography.

It is hard to believe the government is not supporting a strong sector that is providing opportunities to so many. Photography is seen as an attractive career opportunity.

Recently an image of a student studying photography was used on bus advertising to promote photography training at TAFE or UniSA (I cannot recall which), this seems to be a real disconnect. – Paul Atkins

The government’s practice of not disclosing the full list of TAFE courses for 2022 is distressing and completely unfair for prospective students, especially those who are preparing for courses by studying in year 12 and selecting year 11 and 12 subjects for courses that may not now be offered.

Good practice would surely be for at least a two year lead time in cancellation of any diploma course or one year for other programs.

This lack of disclosure is poor practice and a very frustrating disincentive for students planning for a career. – Peter Bicknell

As a TAFE lecturer (now retired) I have seen how our high quality public TAFE training system has been systematically dismantled over decades.

Public funding has been converted into profits for private registered training organisations. Many of these companies have exploited poor oversight and lack of sufficient restrictions on student numbers. They are businesses. They provide training where the profit is greatest.

They concentrate on churning through students in courses that require little expenditure on high tech equipment or highly qualified staff. All the resource intensive training and access and equity support is left for the public TAFE provider, but funds are then unavailable as the state training budget is well and truly blown.

All this was done under the myth of efficiency and “competition”.

Governments were used to the tame state TAFE provider, and did not provide sufficient oversight or control of the private RTO voracious appetite for profit. 

This current story is no surprise as TAFE continues to be underfunded and understaffed by governments committed to privatisation. – Pauline Hines

Commenting on the story: Wine reviews: Bursting the cultural cringe bubble

I agree the Di Georgio is a brilliant sparkling red, but my favourite among the Australian sparkling reds is Grancari Sparkling Grenache, and it is organic. – Gail Easterbrook

Commenting on the story: Touch Of The Fumbles: Tigerland

I still don’t understand why a journalist can’t write about our own teams in South Australia instead of talking about what Richmond did a few years ago. Also a lot of rubbish that makes no sense about today’s footy information after the weekend.

People want to read about our own teams instead of making it a cartoon scrap. I have never written ever in to complain before, apart from last week for the same reason. I feel disgusted that we finally have a South Australian paper with our interests but spoilt with ridiculous comments on the footy.

Need to change journalists if that’s all the rubbish he can write. Have friends that also agree. – Norma Virgo

I hope the journalist wrote and submitted this one for free because it is not worthy of any reward for such a poor effort. – John Batten

Love this scribe! I’m on your page. – David Schmidt