TAFE staff from the Kimberley andPilbara regions have been left “in lim-bo” since structural changes weremade to WA vocational education andtraining, a trade union claims.

Training and Workforce MinisterLiza Harvey announced earlier thisyear 11 TAFE colleges and their 70campus locations would be managedby a network of five colleges fromApril 11.

Administrative structures acrossthe 11 establishments have beenstreamlined into five administrativecentres and five governing councils.

As a result, all Kimberley TrainingInstitute campuses are now part ofNorth Regional TAFE, includingBroome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing,Halls Creek and Kununurra, as wellas the six Pilbara Institute campuses.

Community and Public SectorUnion assistant secretary Rikki Hen-don said 13 jobs would be axed as aresult of the Kimberley/Pilbara

TAFE merger, while 43 jobs from theKimberley and 32 positions in the Pil-bara were under review.

Ms Hendon said there had been a“severe lack” of consultation withexisting staff.

“Jobs may go from the smaller cam-puses like Fitzroy Crossing or Wynd-ham, as corporate services are to be centralised at the bigger campus-es, so that’s full-time jobs going fromsmall Pilbara and Kimberley com-munities that need them most,” shesaid.

However, Department of Trainingand Workforce Development directorgeneral Ruth Shean said the figure of13 referred to the number of staff whowould be offered alternative employ-ment within the public training sec-tor or voluntary severance.

She said there would be about 24fewer positions at North RegionalTAFE, some of which were alreadyvacant.

“No staff have been made redun-dant,” she said.

TAFE staff left in ‘limbo’t Nicola Kalmar

Kimberley Training Institute Broome campus. Picture: Nicola Kalmar

Two animals symbolic of Broomehave been painted on a footpath at theentrance to the town’s airport as partof a public campaign to cut pollutionentering Roebuck Bay throughstormwater drains.

The Roebuck Bay Working Grouphas used a threadfin salmon anddugong as the stars of the awarenessdrive that will be stencilled on pave-ments beside drains throughout thecommunity by 30 local identities.

Shire president Ron Johnston andRoebuck Bay Working Group projectmanager Kandy Curran launched theproject recently.

Ms Curran said she was confident

the campaign would have a positiveeffect after an enthusiastic responsefrom people invited to participate.

She said a poster showing all theparticipants in the project would senda “keep Roebuck Bay clean” messageto the Broome community.

“This message is to keep fertilisers,garden waste, sewage, pollutants, carwash detergents, rubbish, animal ma-nure and pool water out of Broome’sstormwater drains,” she said.

The poster and stencils make thelink between nutrients in stormwaterbecoming food for blue-green algae inRoebuck Bay.

Lyngbya blooms have been linkedto stormwater run-off and pollutedgroundwater.

Broome Shire president Ron Johnston and Roebuck Bay Working Group's KandyCurran stencil a message on a footpath in town. Picture: Simon Penn

Stencils send drain messaget Glenn Cordingley

4 Advertiser News broomead.com.au Thursday, April 28, 2016

Diocese of Broome50th Jubilee

*A Vicariate is an administrative church district of a temporary nature

Important Events

Jubilee Mass 2 June, Civic Centre Broome, 5.30 pm. All Welcome

WYD Legacy Cross will be visiting every parish in the Diocese

Jubilee Art Prize Theme ‘Spirit of the Kimberley’

Entry closes Friday 20 May

“What do I mean by Spirit of the Kimberley?”

“I mean an expression in painting of how you see and experience the

Kimberley. It’s as general and as broad as that.”

While the Vicariate of the Kimberley was founded in 1887, now

we celebrate our coming of age with the 50th Anniversary of

the Diocese of Broome, founded the 7th June 1966.