The peak lobby for private VET is backing the Business Council of Australia proposal for an independent agency to oversee, pricing, funding and providers across all of post compulsory education. “(It) will face considerable ‘push-back’. It is a “courageous” proposal. However, I for one can’t see another way. Federalism seems to be failing us,” Rod Camm from the Australian Council for Private Education and Training says.

“ACPET has strongly supported the need to get rid of the government funding silos that distort the decisions students make about their program of study. The current tangle of state, territory and commonwealth funding makes it almost impossible for students to navigate and make good, informed decisions.”

And with state and federal governments focused on costs rather than reform the BCA is in the only policy game in town; “perhaps it is time to build on the Bradley review and develop an agreed way forward. The BCA paper provides a constructive, thoughtful contribution,” Mr Camm suggests.

But it isn’t just government which will need dragging to the table, higher education lobbies see much in the BCA report as a threat to their patch (CMM January 24).