TEC in chaos 350% consultant blowout

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the body responsible for driving Labour's so-called tertiary education reforms, is in chaos as shown by the 350% blowout in the cost of consultants in the same year as they churned over 25.5% of their staff, says National's Tertiary Education spokesman, Paul Hutchison.

Dr Hutchison asked in Parliament today: 'Could the Minister name any successful business that underwent a major reform during which staff turnover is 25.5%, the Chair changes and the departure of the CEO is timed so she isn't around to take any responsibility for the changes she's made?'

"Clearly, TEC have not learnt from their past mistakes which have been associated with massive bureaucratic blowouts. Their successive planning is abysmal and it is shocking that the designers of the reforms are not staying around to take responsibility.

"The fact that TEC's annual report says 2006/07 was its busiest year was predictable, because that's when their so-called reforms were to come in.

"In 2005/06, the select committee warned TEC that they were worried about the large amount of money spent on contractors, but despite this, and despite having hundreds of staff, they spent 350% more than they budgeted on contractors and consultants last year.

"Labour's management of tertiary education and of TEC has been hopeless, which is extremely concerning given the vital importance of tertiary education to New Zealand".