David Cunliffe
MP for New Lynn
Associate Education Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

13 May 2016

Investigations into tertiary institutions overdue

A Tertiary Education Commission investigation into the Tai Poutini Polytechnic is overdue and should have been launched last year, Labour’s Associate Education (Tertiary) spokesperson David Cunliffe says.

“Labour has been calling for an inquiry into potential rorts at Tai Poutini since last year after we highlighted apparent inconsistencies in the length of its advanced rope course.

“We worked with several whistle blowers to expose that the six month course was being taught in a fraction of that time.

“Labour has been asking dozens of Parliamentary questions about Tai Poutini since last year. It’s high time a closer look was taken and we welcome the Commission’s investigation.

“Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce intervened to stop six other investigations proposed by TEC last year for inexplicable reasons. This shows how out of touch he is with the reality of the sector today.

“We also welcome the Commission’s decision to launch an investigation into Lincoln University’s Telford Division.

“These overdue investigations underline the loose and unacceptable oversight of a sector that has been under such extreme funding pressure from the Government that rorting – while always unacceptable – has become commonplace,” David Cunliffe says.

ends

© Scoop Media