By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE South East Local Learning Employment Network would receive funding for another four years under a State Labor Government.
The Opposition announced this week that the 31 LLENs across Victoria, including SELLEN, would receive $32 million in funding over four years, with the State Government yet to guarantee funding for the employment networks beyond 2014.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan and Labor candidate Gabrielle Williams visited SELLEN on Tuesday to announce the funding promise, which was welcomed by SELLEN CEO Andrew Simmons.
“We really welcomed that four-year commitment; it means that we can actually work strategically rather than being reactionary. We’ve got year to year funding; so much of our effort and our energy goes into funding,” Mr Simmons said.
“It really does demonstrate how much Labor’s committed to LLENs and what we do but also to youth and to industry because that’s the primary focus of the space that we play in.”
The Victorian LLENs, which have existed since 2001, have been co-funded by the state and federal governments from 2010 to 2014, but from next year the funding will be the responsibility of the Victorian Government alone.
In 2014 the Federal Government supplied $10 million to the Victorian LLENs and the State Government funded $2.3 million, a total of $12.3 million, according to SELLEN.
But Liberal candidate for Dandenong Joanna Palatsides on Wednesday said the total funding amount for the LLENs from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments in 2014 was $13.3 million.
Ms Palatsides hinted at a pending LLEN announcement from the Victorian Government but did not specify details.
“The Napthine Government has been working with the LLENs to ensure they don’t fall off the cliff next year as a result of this Federal Government decision,” she said.
“While we won’t be able to fill the hole left by the Federal Government, we will be making an announcement shortly regarding arrangements for next year.”
