The VTA claims the government is considering a recommendation, following a recent Essential Services Commission review, which could see cuts of $230 million from TAFE over the next four years.

It says $65 million in funding could be directly slashed from regional Victorian institutions.

David Williams, executive director of the VTA, said University of Ballarat TAFEs at Ballarat, Horsham, Stawell and Ararat were unlikely to close if the recommendation was followed, but said it could have other significant effects.

“What you might find is there might be fewer courses offered at some of those campuses,” Mr Williams said.

“You are talking $7 million over four years, it is a fair amount of money and Ballarat is a bit larger in size. You are looking at at least $7 million, maybe $8 million over that four years.

“At Ballarat, the TAFE division of the university might be running 200 programs, well 20-30 of those could become unviable.”

Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall described the VTA’s action as “mischievous scaremongering”

“They are picking up on one of about 40 recommendations made by the Essential Services Commission into the review of fees and funding,” he said.

Mr Hall said it was unfair to single out one recommendation when the government hadn’t yet responded to the report, and that it was poor timing by the VTA, which is trying to maximise enrolments.

“If somebody believes funding is going to be cut it could be counter-productive and they could decide to enrol somewhere else,” Mr Hall said. University of Ballarat Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Smith said UB was expanding through its partnerships with other regional TAFE institutes throughout Victoria.

“In addition, we are constructing a new Manufacturing Technology Training Centre at our SMB Campus,” Professor Smith said.

“All of these developments indicate a strong future for TAFE programs at the University of Ballarat.”