ALP offers $2.5m for Pimlico TAFE arts precinct
LABOR will fund a $2.5m arts precinct at the Pimlico TAFE campus to help grow student numbers and expand community and industry engagement in Townsville, if the party is elected at the next election.
The funding will provide training in innovative and emerging technologies in creative arts across the region.
Senator Anthony Chisholm was in Townsville on Monday with candidate John Ring to announce the funding as part of the party’s $50m TAFE Technology Fund, which will improve IT facilities, workshops, laboratories and telehealth simulators across the country.
Herbert candidate, Mr Ring, said the facility will provide students with more opportunity out of school into digital, hitech, telehealth and visual arts jobs.
The upgrades will mean there is a wider range of career options for those students who are able to train at the new precinct.
Senator Chisholm said the funding would help update the facilities to give state-of-the-art training.
“We don’t want kids from Townsville to have to go down south if they’re interested (in these opportunities),” Senator Chisholm said.
“We know that from talking to the TAFE (staff) that the facilities are old, and need an update.”
Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said the LNP’S jobs plan had provision for more TAFE positions.
“Our plan for jobs includes $3.7bn for a new national skills agreement, which will guarantee record TAFE funding and over 800,000 new training positions,” Mr Thompson said.
“This is alongside the $2.8bn we are investing in incentives to support the next generations of apprentices.”