Technical Schools and TAFE were created by slavish imitation of the English system. They were killed off in slavish imitation of the English system. Since the English don't have any particularly new ideas to imitate, it's not surprising that imitation of the Americans has crept in.
No worries though. Just as the Freeway system was imported by a government that looked toward America, then renamed as a Motorway system by a government that looked towards GB, I'm sure that this too will be relabeled when the present opposition comes to power.