A loss of control, land and millions of dollars – they’re the Nelson City Council's core concerns for the region's biggest tertiary institute.
Friday is the final day for feedback on the Government’s radical polytech reforms, with many questions still to be answered.
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) has enjoyed surpluses for eight of the past 10 years and has strong links to key industries at the top of the South Island.
Its aquaculture degree was put together with input from the sector – 70 per cent of the sector is based at the top of the South Island.
"Those are some of the key employers and stakeholders who rely on our ability to adapt and deliver nimble projects and nimble programmes of study", explains NMIT Chief Executive Liam Sloan.
"There's a fear that some of that would be lost."
The Nelson City Council's also concerned the changes may jeopardise the independence of its biggest tertiary institute.
The council gifted half an acre of the land the campus is built on, which the Mayor says "represents the importance of the relationship and dates back to 1905."
It's been working with NMIT on expansion plans and its future workforce, with $20 million in savings.
Mr Sloan says one of their concerns is if NMIT’s assets were "suddenly absorbed into the New Zealand Skills and Institute of Technology and they be the purse holders if you like and control how we invest and spend our money".
But Education Minister Chris Hipkins wants to reassure local communities that "this isn't about raiding the reserves of the Polytechs that already have them".
But it’s still too early to say how they'll be handled.
"How we do that depends on the structure of the new organisation and the financial structure of it and we just haven't made those decisions yet," Mr Hipkins says.
Despite the uncertainty, NMIT says it is keen to be part of the national solution.
"We feel that the offer we have over in Marlborough around viticulture and wine, the potential development for a hub of excellence for grapes and wine is unique," says Mr Sloan.
The final recommendations will be presented to Cabinet for a decision by mid-2019, after which an announcement is likely to be made.
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