Under the Turnbull government proposal, obtained by Fairfax Media, TAFE fees would be deregulated and TAFEs would receive the same levels of funding as private colleges in a bid to increase competition in the sector.

Mr Fitzsimon said the proposal was just the thin edge of the wedge when it comes to federal education funding.

“This is all leading to the privatisation of the public education system, including our universities,” he said.

A looming skills shortage and the possibility that those positions would need to be filled with foreign workers is a major concern for Mr Fitzsimon.

“We need TAFE to be fully funded so that we can guarantee jobs for local workers, not jobs for those on 457 visas doing dodgy courses from even dodgier RTO’s (Registered Training Organisations),” he said. 

Former TAFE fine arts teacher Victor Gordon said the possibility the federal government would take on funding didn’t phase him.

“They can only do an equally as bad a job as the state government,” Mr Gordon said.

“When the opposition talks about rogue independent RTOs operating, well TAFE is also a rogue RTO. 

“TAFE is owned by the people. That site next to the old hospital, and out near the new one, are all owned by the public and they’re charging extortionate prices for courses that are also owned by the people.”

Mr Gordon said recent redundancies within the Western Institute of TAFE was a sign TAFE was in decay.

“TAFE is metaphorically as toxic as the asbestos ridden hospital next door,” he said.

Mr Fitzsimon has a different metaphor though for the state of the technical and training education sector, especially disreputable RTO’s that have been gouging the system.

“If you leave the carcase hanging for long enough, the flies will eventually turn up,” he said.