Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2015, which will act as this coalition government's next step towards ensuring Australians have access to high-quality vocational education and training or VET courses, high-quality providers of these courses and, by extension, a highly skilled workforce.

This is a sector which Australia as a whole cannot afford to let down, by allowing its reputation to be damaged by a few unscrupulous providers. Unfortunately, though, this is currently the case. Right now, a 15-year-old student who has decided that higher education is not for them, and who instead wants to pursue a VET course at TAFE or perhaps wants to attend an industry skills centre to gain qualifications, cannot be guaranteed to know which registered training organisation, RTO, is responsible for the qualification he or she is signing up to receive. This is a serious concern to me, and it should be a serious to all members in this place. It is a concern because, how can that student exercise due diligence in selecting the right course for them if they are not even sure that the qualification they will be handed upon completion is appropriately accredited, or that the course they are paying for will provide them with a level of skill appropriate to that course?

Many members in this place would know that I did not receive a tertiary education. I spent my time going through an apprenticeship as an electrician. Fortunately, 60 per cent of my family—the siblings—did get a tertiary education. My parents worked hard to stump up and pay for that education. There was no HECS available at the time, so it was paid for by my parents. I think that the VET training and apprenticeship schemes are as important today as they were back when I left school at the tender age of 16.

In that former life, I started off as an apprentice electrician earning $39 per week—back in 1974. Things have, thankfully, improved since then. I would highlight that it is through the work of this government that the rate of apprenticeship dropouts in Australia is slowly declining, and our VET skilled workforce is starting to once again feel secure and appreciated. This was something that was lacking through the six years of government by those opposite, when they established a VET-FEE HELP system but did not even bother to develop a dedicated compliance strategy.

In comparison, this government has introduced a range of measures to support vocational education and training, including providing almost $6 billion this year, to support VET through direct-funding programs. This includes the new trade support loans, which I have spoken about previously in this place. These loans will provide support of up to $8,000 in the first year to apprentices, and up to $20,000 over the life of a four-year apprenticeship.

The program was railed against by those opposite because we cut out a system that they had established. I know this system is attractive to a lot of young people. It is so attractive that my son took up an apprenticeship as soon as this scheme was announced and established, and he is now working as an apprentice bricklayer. He is working on new projects and new housing in the northern suburbs of Perth. This type of loan will help ensure that he is able to complete his apprenticeship without having to be concerned that he will not be able to afford rent or petrol for his car each week, or the necessary tools that he needs to renew or use during his time as an apprentice working on the tools.

I am sure that members can appreciate that, compared to my $39, I will not be keen to hear any excuses about him not being able to afford that tank of petrol. (Time expired)

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