Brendan O'Connor's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Steedman, Mr Alan Peter (Pete) | Adjournment | House debates
Some of the best parties that were ever conducted in my lifetime were held at his place in Hurstbridge, which he had purchased from David Williamson, the playwright. We used to have these Guy...
Some of the best parties that were ever conducted in my lifetime were held at his place in Hurstbridge, which he had purchased from David Williamson, the playwright. We used to have these Guy Fawkes days where from 60 and up to 100 people would turn up. Starting at lunchtime, they would culminate in a bonfire and fireworks display. There'd be an effigy, and the effigy was never representative of Guy Fawkes. It was always a political rival who had crossed Pete that year. They were remarkable days. We had a wonderful time with Pete and Julie and his family. It was a sad day when Pete passed, but he had a glorious life and he did some remarkable things, including establishing Ausmusic to cultivate, promote and elevate local Australian music. Every November is Ausmusic month, and we can thank Pete Steedman, and others, for ensuring that. He got together the musicians and strategic minds of the likes of Michael Gudinski and really elevated that. Pete was a remarkable character. They broke the mould when they made him, but he will always be remembered as a decent, remarkable Labor man.
That's right. There are a couple of alumni here. This was, of course, during the early days of Monash University and during the emergence of social movements and the growing opposition to the...
That's right. There are a couple of alumni here. This was, of course, during the early days of Monash University and during the emergence of social movements and the growing opposition to the Vietnam War. Whether it was protesting against conscription for young men or fighting for Indigenous land rights, Pete was at the forefront of many of these social movement activities. At Trades Hall in September, Gareth Evans, a senior cabinet minister in the Hawke and Keating governments, was in attendance. He recounted his success in convincing Pete to move to the University of Melbourne and become editor of its student newspaper, Farrago. So he had the quinella—the only person to hold the editorial roles of both universities. Later on, of course, he became managing editor of Oz magazine, which was subject to prosecution in London for what were then seen to be obscenities. It's a good reminder of how repressive things were back in those days. These experiences sharpened Pete's journalistic and political skills, which he used so effectively for the rest of his life. But he was a victim of the fickle fate of politics, losing the 1984 election, owing in particular to a brutal redistribution of his seat. He then moved on to assist the Municipal Employees' Union, where I got to know him relatively well. He was a really important conduit for the union in engaging with the federal government. At the time, we had just won a work value case for home carers, but we needed Commonwealth funding. Through the efforts of Pete Steedman, I managed, at the age of 25, to meet Paul Keating in the Old Parliament House in 1987, which was a great bonus for the members of that union, the home-care workers who were being paid so little. Again, that echoes what we do now: we increase and improve wages for low-paid workers and then make sure the Commonwealth funds them. That's exactly what Keating did, but it was in large part due to Pete Steedman's advocacy, which I won't forget.
A former member of this place, Pete Steedman, passed away on 10 July. He was 80 years old. In 1983, Pete was elected as member for Casey and was part of the first Hawke government that sat in Old...
A former member of this place, Pete Steedman, passed away on 10 July. He was 80 years old. In 1983, Pete was elected as member for Casey and was part of the first Hawke government that sat in Old Parliament House. As I missed the opportunity to speak on his condolence motion, I wanted to record my sympathies and sincere condolences to his family and his many friends. I also wanted to place in the Hansard a record of his achievements. I was fortunate enough to attend and speak at a large gathering at Victorian Trades Hall on Saturday 7 September to celebrate his life. On the day, I reflected on the influence that Pete had had upon the people around him, upon the labour movement and upon the Labor Party. But his political activism started well before his arrival in Canberra. In fact, he was first known for being editor of Monash University's student newspaper, Lot's Wife, in the mid-1960s.
Free TAFE Bill 2024; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I'm very happy to rise and speak on this bill, the Free TAFE Bill 2024. I start by commending the Minister for Skills and Training for incorporating for the future an investment in education and...
I'm very happy to rise and speak on this bill, the Free TAFE Bill 2024. I start by commending the Minister for Skills and Training for incorporating for the future an investment in education and training in this country. There's no doubt that when we came to office just over 2½ years ago we were confronted with one of the worst skills shortages in this country's history. For 50 years we have not had such a great paucity of skills in so many sectors of our economy. For that reason the Prime Minister made the right decision to call together constituent parts of the economy, including representatives of employers, businesses, workers, universities, the VET sector—including TAFEs—and civil society, in order to confront the major challenges we have in our economy. One of the major challenges we've had to date and for the period we've been in government has been to deal with these skills shortages across the economy. Arising out of that summit, the first decision was made by the Albanese government and the state and territory governments to commit to 180,000 fee-free TAFE places for the first 12 months, if you like. We reached the target well before time, and we did so in order to ensure that people across this nation, whether they're in cities, regional towns or smaller communities, were able to access training and education in areas of current and future demand. The reason they were picked up so quickly was that people were really in need of those skills—not only the students acquiring the skills but the businesses that are crying out for a skilled workforce, and, at large, our economy. Out of the success of those early days, we continue to invest and continue to partner with eight other governments, six state and two territory governments, working together. I believe that there are very strong signs of success. I want to disabuse this place of the proposition put by those opposite that this has not been a successful initiative from the commencement, because the reality is that the completion rates of fee-free TAFE—and that data will continue to flow through from providers to state and territory governments to the Commonwealth—are in most circumstances higher than the completion rates of university degrees and other VET sector courses. That's the first thing that should be said, because there's a lot of misinformation being put forward by those opposite, who do not have a clue when it comes to dealing with TAFE. We know the only time that they consider TAFE is when it's about how they can rip as much money as they can from those remarkable public providers. That's the history of the coalition when it comes to looking after TAFE colleges throughout this country, unfortunately. I'm most surprised that the member for Dawson, the preceding speaker, who represents a community that absolutely requires access to education and training, including in the VET sector, would think it was a nonsense to provide opportunities for his constituents. You think about this. There are more than half a million Australians enrolled in fee-free TAFE. That means approximately 3,000 to 4,000 people in each and every electorate of this country—because the other thing about the data, when you look at access to free TAFE courses, is that you see there has been a real effort to ensure that this is an investment across Australia. Just over a third of the places, for example, are in regional Australia, as they should be. Over 50 per cent, closer to 60 per cent, are for women, and that's largely because of the demand in sectors of the economy where there are more women working and more opportunities in education and the care economy. The nonsense put forward by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the shadow minister, and those who read her notes and have been pretty much parroting it since the debate started in this place, is shown to be completely wrong when you look at the facts. This is a successful scheme. It's been taken up by half a million Australians or more, and it's been popular throughout the country, in city and regional areas, and I think it will continue to be successful. The reason I think it will be successful is that we are in dire need of this investment. This is not just to support students and young workers in acquiring skills. This is for businesses that are crying out for the skills that they need. This is for our economy because, as the minister has said, and I said before him, we are suffering the worst skills shortage in half a century and we need to do better. This bill also is in the context of a lot of reforms outlined by the Albanese government in relation to the VET sector. Frankly, I think federal governments, even Labor governments of the past, could have done better in the VET sector, looking back. Hindsight's obviously an easy perspective. But the reality is that this government, the Albanese government, has put the VET sector on an equal footing with the university sector in a way that no preceding federal government has done, or at least not for decades. We've done that by lifting the status of the VET sector, including the very important role that public providers play in this very critical tertiary sector in our country. I'm very proud that we've managed to do that. We've elevated the sector, designating a minister responsible for the sector—working closely, of course, with the minister responsible for universities, but working primarily to ensure the VET sector is successful. And why are we looking to do that? Because the VET sector provides nearly half the skills to our labour market. Historically, the Commonwealth has too often acted as a funding body rather than as a strategic partner with state and territory governments. The National Skills Agreement, a five-year agreement with $30 billion of financial certainty for the sector, was a landmark agreement and one that had not been reached for a decade. In the previous nine years, the previous government failed to reach any agreement with state and territory governments on the VET sector, and that was to the detriment of not only the sector but the people looking to acquire skills and the businesses who wanted to ensure that their skill vacancies could be filled. This is about ensuring, firstly, that we work as strategic partners with state and territory governments and, secondly, that we work closer with industry so that we are in touch with the changing nature of the labour market and our economy and making sure that we are investing in areas of demand—not just for today but for tomorrow. There is a time lag between what is needed now and what is needed after the acquisition of skills and knowledge. We have to anticipate more precisely what our economy needs in three years time and in five years time so that when we look to invest in education and training, whether it be universities or the VET sector, we do so with an understanding of what our economy, labour market and businesses demand. And I think we will do that better with the creation of Jobs and Skills Australia. Jobs and Skills Australia is about anticipating more precisely the needs of our labour market today and tomorrow. It is complemented by jobs and skills councils, through which we are making sure we have real economic insight into the data analysed by Jobs and Skills Australia. That combination of data collection and analysis of the labour market and real economic insight by economic players in different sectors of our economy will bring about much better intelligence for governments—and for industry—to make decisions around investing in education and training for this country. And that's what we're seeing under this government. It was not a coincidence that this government chose to introduce the Jobs and Skills Australia legislation as the first bill of this parliamentary term. I want to pay tribute to the Prime Minister. It was a signature policy of his. He saw it as being akin to Infrastructure Australia—what we did with capital investment we could do with human capital. I think that has been a great success to date. There's a long way to go, but I'm certainly confident that that will continue to work in the interests of the Australian people, our economy and, indeed, workers and businesses. This is all working in combination. Setting up an arrangement where the best intelligence informs our funding in education and training, whether it be universities or the VET sector, is critical so we don't waste taxpayers' money. The other thing I want to knock on the head is the idea that we don't invest in non-TAFE providers. There is an enormous amount of investment in them. Billions and billions of dollars are invested in non-public providers in the VET sector by the Commonwealth and by state and territory governments. We do believe that TAFE should sit at the heart of the VET sector, but we accept that there are industry providers and other specialist providers who really do provide great education and training. Our major concern as a government is that we want to get rid of the shonks. We want to get rid of the bottom feeders. We want to get rid of the ones who'd like to spend more time turning up to campaign fundraisers for politicians than actually delivering skills to their students. That's why we provided powers to the regulatory body, ASQA—and to the minister—to make sure that, if we find that people are being exploited or that students are not getting the standard of education and training that they deserve, we are able to rid our sector of those providers. We will do so in the interests of not only the students but the taxpayers of Australia, who fund some of these providers, and the businesses who need qualified staff, not those with phony qualifications from dodgy providers. I'm very proud of the fact that in my time in the skills portfolio we were very much focused on removing low-quality and subquality providers, which in some cases were criminal in the way in which they defrauded students who were apparently enrolled in training courses that weren't actually operating. We need to clean up the sector. We need to lift it, to elevate it, and to put TAFE back at the centre. That's all happening under this government and I think this bill is a manifestation of that ongoing reform. This bill also provides an opportunity for the people of Australia to understand how little the opposition cares about education training in this country. Every speaker on the other side is getting up and trashing TAFE and attacking students who get support at a time of acute cost-of-living pressures. They don't want us to provide support at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet in some situations. They don't want us to remove cost barriers to education and training, yet during the pandemic they were willing to provide Harvey Norman, who was in receipt of record profits, millions and millions of dollars of taxpayer funding. And they don't want to provide a worker or a student in the electorate of Dawson an opportunity to acquire skills so that person can be gainfully employed. That is the hypocrisy here. It's not that they don't like taxpayers' money being spent; they just don't want taxpayers' money spent on ordinary Australians. They want it to be given to companies who are making record profits during a pandemic. That's how faulty the JobKeeper design was. We supported JobKeeper, but we did not support excessive money going to companies that were making record profits. That was a waste of taxpayers' money. But apparently, according to the opposition, wasteful spending includes funding TAFE courses in order to remove cost barriers for students to acquire skills in areas of demand. I've heard those opposite say that this does not cover all courses; well, it doesn't. The design of this program is focused on those areas which are in acute demand in our economy. We make no apologies about investing in areas which are an existing and future demand of our labour market, our businesses and those workers who need those skills. That is a good design policy. Maybe they should have thought of that sort of design when they were creating JobKeeper and not providing it to companies that were making more money during the pandemic rather than less. We have focused on those areas of demand, so we know that if you acquire those skills your chances of employment are much greater. It means that those businesses crying out for skills are more likely to find a prospective employee as a result of the acquisition of those skills. This is a perfectly designed policy to assist in investing in education training, because we do believe there's a causal link between how knowledgeable and how innovative our labour market is and the wellbeing of Australia. We understand that in a knowledge based, globalised economy the countries with the smartest, most knowledgeable and most skilled labour markets will be the winners in the 21st century. It seems to be lost on those opposite that investing in education training is not just good for the recipients who acquire that knowledge and those skills but also good for their families, for business, for our economy and for our society. For all the reasons that I've outlined, and for the many more that the minister and other members on this side have added to this debate, I would ask those opposite to think again and to support this legislation. It's really important for students and it's really important for workers. It's important for businesses and, as I said, it's important for our national economy.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report entitledInquiry into the Department of Defence annual report 2022-23. Report made...
On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report entitledInquiry into the Department of Defence annual report 2022-23. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—On behalf of the joint standing committee, and as the chair of the Defence Subcommittee, I present the committee 's report entitled Inquiry into the Department of Defence annual report 2022-23. This inquiry examined Australia's assistance to Ukraine, the Defence health system, Defence's capability assurance mechanism, artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons and armaments manufacture, procurement and inventory. Australia is facing an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving strategic environment with rising tensions and reduced warning time for conflict. Responding to these challenges, Australian statecraft and diplomacy is investing in Indo-Pacific partnerships while deepening engagement across South-East Asia and the Pacific and with our allies around the world. A cornerstone of our approach remains our unwavering support for Ukraine, a commitment endorsed by our Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in fact, this government and, importantly, the federal opposition. This bipartisan support is critical not only to Ukraine's immediate needs but also to the need for a stable rules based international order. As the conflict in Ukraine endures, it is clear that Australia's support must be carefully coordinated and sustained for the long term. Our Department of Defence and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are already doing vital work managing and coordinating this assistance. However, there is currently no central point of contact for communication and clarity of responsibilities for Ukraine, our partners and particularly the Australian public. To address this shortcoming, the subcommittee has recommended in this report the creation of a whole-of-government mechanism—a dedicated one-stop shop, if you like—to streamline Australia's support efforts. This will ensure that we are more efficient and effective in our assistance in the future. We must also be strategic about the equipment we provide to Ukraine. The subcommittee believes it is crucial that a Ukraine lens be applied to the decision-making process around the retirement of equipment from military service. Identifying items of equipment well in advance of their retirement will allow more effective planning while providing more appropriate time to ensure Australia's ongoing compliance with international agreements and treaties. Furthermore, transparency is essential. Public discussions about the potential gifting of military hardware like the Hawkei vehicles and Taipan helicopters have lacked some clarity. The subcommittee recommends the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade publish a summary of their decision-making processes, enabling the public to understand the rationale behind these decisions and increasing trust in our actions. In addition to military support, Australia's training contributions to Ukraine through Operation KUDU have proven highly successful. We are committed to expanding this operation, continuing our support for the training of both Ukrainian forces and civilians to enhance their resilience. On the diplomatic front, the subcommittee believes there is a strong case for reopening Australia's embassy in Kyiv. Given the long-term nature of the conflict, a physical diplomatic presence would not only strengthen our bilateral ties with Ukraine but also align us with 70 other nations that have already reopened their embassies. Alongside this, the subcommittee has recommended the posting of an Australian military attache in Kyiv to provide crucial support for logistics, for equipment and for training efforts on the ground. Turning to domestic matters, we must also address the significant workload facing Defence and its health services contractor in providing healthcare services to over 60,000 personnel across various Defence units. The subcommittee heard evidence that while efforts are being made to address challenges in the healthcare system, staffing shortages and delays in medical appointments remain ongoing concerns. We urge both Defence and its contractor to investigate these issues urgently and take the necessary steps to ensure timely service delivery that meets the needs of our personnel. The subcommittee is also concerned about Defence's oversight of its health services contract, particularly the workforce fill rates and performance targets. Despite ongoing efforts, these issues persist. The subcommittee believes continued attention and remediation are essential. Additionally, the shortfall in recruitment health assessments is affecting Defence's ability to meet its recruitment targets. We therefore call on Defence to work closely with its contractors to address these shortfalls. Looking at the broader picture, the subcommittee reviewed Defence's capability assurance systems and is confident that they are well documented and effective. However, the subcommittee recognises that the cyber and space worthiness systems are still in development, and the subcommittee has recommended that these areas receive urgent attention. The shortage of skilled testing and evaluation personnel was identified as a key vulnerability. This gap could hinder the development of critical defence capabilities, and we have urged Defence and the defence industry to prioritise investment in training and retaining these highly skilled personnel. The 2023 Defence Strategic Review and the 2024 National Defence Strategy provide a clear roadmap for addressing these challenges. And again, the subcommittee is confident that with a focus on minimum viable capabilities, timely delivery and allocated funding, Defence will be able to meet its objectives and build the integrated force of 2031. Australia finds itself in a rapidly changing strategic environment, facing an elevated risk of state-on-state conflict. To meet these challenges head on, the Australian government, in collaboration with our AUKUS partners, is prioritising the development and acquisition of asymmetric capabilities, including autonomous weapons systems. These technologies will empower the Australian Defence Force to project influence effectively across a full spectrum of responses, ensuring our capacity for impactful and proportionate action in any scenario. As we look to integrate these advanced capabilities, it is essential that we assess the full range of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems to ensure they meet the unique requirements of our defence strategy. However, we must also remain committed to the principle that all new capabilities be fully compliant with international humanitarian law. The subcommittee acknowledges that rapid advancements in AI and computing will continue to shape the future of weapon systems. To guarantee the reliability and functionality of these systems, Defence must establish robust test and evaluation frameworks, ensuring systems are thoroughly validated before deployment. Additionally, we must address challenges such as automation bias and ensure our personnel are trained to understand the limitations of these new technologies. The subcommittee heard evidence on the application of international humanitarian law, particularly article 36 of the additional protocol to the Geneva conventions, in regulating the use of AI and autonomous systems in modern warfare. The subcommittee is confident that existing legal frameworks remain sufficient to govern these advancements and that state responsibility will continue to apply in situations where individual accountability is unclear. Australia remains committed to contributing to international discussions on AI policy, and we must stay informed of evolving international law and policy developments. As such, the subcommittee strongly urges Defence to continue adhering to the requirements of article 36 of the Geneva conventions and other relevant international obligations as we develop, acquire and deploy new defence technologies. Australia's future defence capabilities will be shaped by innovation. But we must always ensure they align with our legal and ethical obligations. This balance will safeguard our national security while upholding our commitment to international law. Finally, as we strengthen Australia's sovereign defence capabilities we must address our reliance on international supply chains, particularly around munitions. The subcommittee has recommended sourcing more components domestically to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities in times of conflict or other disruptions. Additionally, a transparent reporting framework for guided weapons explosive ordnance stockholdings has been recommended, which will allow progress to be tracked and Australia's self-reliance in munitions production to be enhanced. While challenges remain, the subcommittee is confident that Defence's ongoing efforts to improve its systems and capabilities will position Australia's defence for long-term success. By strengthening domestic industries, improving transparency and staying agile in response to emerging threats, we can ensure that Australia's defence remains robust and resilient, securing our national security both now and into the future. In conclusion, I thank, firstly, the deputy chair, Andrew Wallace MP, and other members of the subcommittee for their final contributions to this inquiry. I also extend my thanks to Julian Hill for his critical contributions to the inquiry as the former chair of the subcommittee. I also thank the secretariat, Wing Commander Julian Baesjou and committee secretary Kate Portus for their advice and their support to the subcommittee in the past year, and all the witnesses and contributors to this inquiry—including the significant support from Defence in briefing the subcommittee and supporting its site visits in Queensland and Victoria. I commend the report to the House, and I move: That the House take note of the report.
Gorton Young Leaders Awards | Constituency Statements | House debates
I rise to congratulate the talented and hardworking recipients of this year's Gorton Young Leaders Awards. Since 2009, through these annual awards, I've been acknowledging selected year 12...
I rise to congratulate the talented and hardworking recipients of this year's Gorton Young Leaders Awards. Since 2009, through these annual awards, I've been acknowledging selected year 12 students from the electorate of Gorton who've demonstrated a commitment to active public leadership within their schools and communities. These awards are an important way to recognise and encourage local young people beyond academic performance and to reward their efforts in supporting their communities. I'm consistently impressed with the remarkable achievements of the prize winners and the remarkable local talent who call Melbourne's west their home. This year we have 20 Gorton young leader award winners across 10 local schools in the electorate of Gorton: from the Australian International Academy in Caroline Springs, Lubna Lufti and Amaar Yasir; from Lakeview Senior College, Trinity Cachia and Lachlan Martinovic; from Taylors Lakes Secondary College, Laura Santoro and Sam Daniel; from Overnewton Anglican Community College, Pippa Wiggins and Asad Kazmi; from Keilor Downs College, Sage Gobeo and Venkata Harshu Tammina; from the Catholic Regional College Sydenham, Christina Stanford and Caelen Khoo; from Southern Cross Grammar, Prapti Dutta and Oli Cokovski; from Copperfield College, Jazmin Barbaro and Ali Kacmazer; from Springside West Secondary College, Emily Watts and Mananpreet Dhaliwal; and, from Gilson College, Chloe Spiteri and Samuel Mouser. All of these students have made significant contributions to their schools and to their local communities. Many are school captains and vice captains and represent their school or community officially. Some have done specific work, like running sports and other events, working with disadvantaged communities and helping the elderly, and fundraising for various causes. These are the students that people seek out for assistance and that show leadership in their community. They advocate for and help others. They put others before themselves, and they should be commended for their efforts. I wish all recipients of this award well and the very best for the future.
Manufacturing Industry | Adjournment | House debates
I rise tonight to talk about new technologies and new industries, some of which are in my electorate, and how they are part of the exciting future for this country. The Albanese government's...
I rise tonight to talk about new technologies and new industries, some of which are in my electorate, and how they are part of the exciting future for this country. The Albanese government's agenda is broad and wide. It's really looking to attend to major challenges that we confront, whether it's making sure that we meet our targets for net zero by 2050, ensuring that we provide greater sovereign capability in civilian and defence areas of our economy or ensuring that we move faster to renewables. We need to do these things. To do that, we need to have innovative companies and businesses in this country. Future Made in Australia is centred on fostering a sustainable and self-reliant economy, particularly through investments in new energy infrastructure. It's about encouraging innovation and new technologies while ensuring that this shift benefits local communities and businesses and the Australian workforce. 3D printing or additive manufacturing is an example of such an industry. It's revolutionising supply chains and manufacturing, and Australia would do well to be at the forefront of these changes. Imagine a world where spare parts can be manufactured on site rather than having to be ordered and manufactured elsewhere before being delivered, which in some industries could mean weeks or months of delay, or a world where custom items can be manufactured on demand and products can be easily and cheaply adapted to whatever bespoke requirements are needed, where materials used are optimised and waste is eliminated and where construction of new houses moves from planning to completion more efficiently, more productively and more safely. This is the power of 3D printing. It's not just the musings of science fiction writers; the future is with us now. 3D printers are currently being used by construction companies, sole traders, the defence industry and even space agencies, and they've shown that they can reduce the cost, carbon footprint and construction times for a wide range of projects. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit LUYTEN 3D, which is a local business in my electorate of Gorton. It is a leading provider of advanced robotics and additive manufacturing technology. It was a very insightful visit, I have to say. I got a firsthand look at how the cutting-edge 3D printers are making a significant impact on modern manufacturing processes and are helping to tackle some of Australia's most pressing challenges, from housing to climate change. There was a mix of skills and technology on display at LUYTEN 3D, and I couldn't help but leave having been impressed with their vision for the future. This was a great example, in my view, of the Future Made in Australia agenda in action. I'm also happy to say that the Minister for Industry and Science subsequently visited this company, accompanied by the Labor candidate for the next election, Alice Jordan-Baird. I'm very happy that they turned up. As a result of that company putting in a bid for a project, they received about $3 million. The Albanese government has backed this company, LUYTEN 3D, in order to ensure that it can commercialise its technology with a cooperative research centre project grant, and I'm very pleased to see that happen. By fostering a 3D printing ecosystem, the government can help support job creation in high-tech industries while driving down costs, for example, of renewable energy projects. Additionally, 3D printing can expedite the development of critical infrastructure, enhancing Australia's capability to meet its energy transition goals. It embodies a forward-thinking approach to sustainable manufacturing, positioning Australia as a leader in advanced technologies. By investing in the right mix of skills and high-precision 3D printing technology, we are upskilling our workforce and generating innovative solutions to problems that matter to Australians. I commend LUYTEN 3D, and I'll watch with interest as this and other new technologies are embraced in the years to come.
Valedictory | Parliamentary Representation | House debates
Can I start by talking about my long understanding of the importance of parliamentary committee reports. Nothing's more important than this place, of course. It is true that I've been elected to...
Can I start by talking about my long understanding of the importance of parliamentary committee reports. Nothing's more important than this place, of course. It is true that I've been elected to this magnificent place on eight occasions since 2001, and I wish to place on record my heartfelt appreciation to the electors of Gorton for their constant and abiding support for so many years. Melbourne's west and north-west have witnessed the fastest population growth of any part of Australia over the last two decades, growing by three electorates—Gorton, Fraser and Hawke—in that time. So much has changed since I was elected in 2001. As I sought to gain sufficient local support to be preselected as the Labor candidate for that election, the historic, shocking and tragic assault on the World Trade Center in New York seared into our memory, and everything as we knew it changed. It precipitated two invasions. The first was of Afghanistan to displace the Taliban regime, which was supported by the UN. The second was of Iraq, which was not UN sanctioned, which was motivated by what later was determined to be a falsehood, namely to dispossess the country of weapons of mass destruction—which turned out not to exist. While no doubt we will continue to argue about the rights and wrongs of post-September 11 actions, there was no doubt that the world had changed utterly. The rise of non-state threats, of heightened security, of challenges to individual freedoms and of community anxiety were hallmarks of those years, and continue to this day. In those early years, I recall chairing a caucus committee—this was during my first year of parliament—and attempting to manage debates on the ASIO bills involving former senior Hawke and Keating cabinet ministers, which I have to say was a little daunting. These debates dominated my first term. While there were plenty of politics at play here, with a wily John Howard seeking to wedge the Labor opposition, the competing interests of personal freedom and national security were real, and efforts to find the right calibration difficult. These were my early memories of how the world had changed irretrievably—and the responsibility of government and of this place to keep Australians safe without unjustifiably encroaching on the rights of our citizens was paramount. Before entering parliament, national security was not my first concern, which was economic and employment security. I'd advocated on behalf of low-paid workers. So, upon election, I was keen to ensure progress was made on these matters so important to so many Australian working families. The Howard government, however, was intent on removing protections and weakening the capacity of workers to bargain and, after securing the majority in both houses in 2004, it set about radically altering the industrial relations landscape with the introduction of the Work Choices legislation. This threat to Australian workers was an opportunity for the Labor opposition, and I had the good fortune of chairing Labor's Work Choices taskforce, accompanied by Chris Hayes, who was then in this place, as we travelled across the country with other members and senators, listening to stories of victims of Work Choices and doing our very best to make sure that we sent that message out across the country. It was here that I appreciated the reach of radio and regional television to get a message out. Most of my efforts went into making sure that I got attacks on the government up on hourly bulletins on radio stations, large and small, for about 18 months. After my first years were dominated by national security, I considered this a more conventional contest between Labor and the coalition about the economic employment security of the Australian people. The election of the Rudd Labor government was, firstly, a remarkable effort and an absolutely significant moment in our history. It was due mostly to a disciplined opposition, a well-executed campaign by Kevin and an old, tired government out of ideas whose industrial relations laws had, for once, not been civilised by the crossbench Senate given the government's majority. The laws were so severe they saw a Prime Minister not only lose the election but lose his seat for only the second time since Federation. If my first six years as an MP taught me anything, it was that, if a party wanted to govern, it needed to focus on economic security and national security. That's why, later on, after holding security portfolios, I was very much involved in the debate with others to change the national platform and policies to make sure that we had strong, balanced and fair but strong border protection policies to ensure that the Labor Party maintained itself as an electable government party. I also began to fully appreciate at that time the extraordinary breadth of matters considered by federal members. What other job or formal role compels you to consider, debate, decide on, and in many cases, implement so many matters that are so diverse that are in the public interest? This was underlined for me, at least, as the minister in many portfolios where I introduced anti-dumping measures to stop the decimation of our steel industry, introduced the first working-with-children legislation for the Commonwealth jurisdiction, enacted the first criminal sanctions to protect children from online grooming and procuring online and ended a decade of obstruction by states and territories to finally create an adult gaming classification for gamers, which was just as well given today there are 17 million Australians that define themselves as gamers, and the average age of those is 34. I can recall being involved in decisions of the National Security Committee and being involved as home affairs minister in the deployment of Australian Federal Police to Afghanistan to train Afghan national police and to build civilian capability. I visited them in Tarinkot. I reformed employment services to help the most disadvantaged jobseekers, appointed the first federal small business commissioner and was associated with the introduction by the then Treasurer of the instant asset tax write-off which is so critical for small businesses. I opened many social and community housing projects giving people in need a home. It's been unbelievably diverse work that I've had the great fortune to be involved in, supported by dedicated ministerial staff and diligent public servants and security agency personnel. Most often, it was the continuation of the work of other ministers or shadow ministers working in these portfolios before me. That is why, ultimately, politics is a team game. You can have your individual moments of recognition. It can be the name of a reform or your name on a plaque on a building somewhere. But you're mostly adding to and, hopefully, improving something that came before you. Obviously the election of new governments brings about real changes. I agree with Keating when he said, 'When you change the government, you change the country.' But there are more often times when your work as a shadow minister benefits your successor no less than your policy success has benefited from the work of your predecessor. I'm proud of the policy work I undertook in opposition in industrial relations, industry and defence, as I'm thankful to be influenced by the work of others that came before me in my ministerial portfolios—well, Labor ones, that is! Politics is a team game. Our ministry and our caucus are replete with talent, which enriches our policy breadth and depth that no one MP or minor party could ever replicate. Politics is competitive even within one party, but, to be sure, it requires collegiality. You're marked down if you don't work together—and rightly so. More than that, of the things I'm most proud that are directly attributable to me, my prouder moments are being part of the signature policies of Labor governments. I see the decline in support for major parties, therefore, as concerning, as a talented, well-functioning government party is important not only for this parliament to work properly but for the country to be well led. Independents and minor political parties can play an important part in contributing to our democracy or holding governments to account, but it cannot be said that they can provide sufficient stability, particularly at a time of societal discord or civil unrest. This nation is best served with an elected government formed by a coherent and unified political party, and that is exactly what we have in the Albanese Labor government. I have to say that the divisions and community anxiety are as high as I've seen them in my 23 years. I don't believe that this is an Australian phenomena; rather, it is a global one. Since 2001, non-state threats have risen, and our region has become less stable and more contestable, democracies are under more challenge and autocracies are emboldened. To respond to the regional challenges, we are reconfiguring and relocating our defence assets under the Defence strategic review and strengthening our partnerships and our alliances. To mitigate other risks, we need to have a greater focus on domestic policies—not just the capability of our security agencies but also other policies that seek to include, not exclude, that seek to unite, not divide. As Minister for Home Affairs, I was constantly briefed by the AFP and other agencies on the approach needed to reduce radicalisation and homegrown threats, reaching out and building bridges with community leaders. This was what was put to me by those agencies. After all these years, I believe an even broader approach is required. Tolerance towards communities, whatever their race or faith, should be the responsibility of everyone in this place. It is not just tolerance but support and engagement. We are arguably the most successful multicultural country in the world, enriched by diversity—whether that is language, music, art or food. I could walk a kilometre from my home in Melbourne and choose to eat in a dozen restaurants with different cuisines. We are lucky to live in this country. As a migrant of Irish descent, I'm immensely proud of my ancestry—as you might have noticed! But I have an abiding affiliation with this country I love. We should embrace our diversity and all who call Australia home. Just as important as this, we all have a responsibility to pledge fealty to our Australian family. There is a reciprocal obligation. On a continent that has been home to the oldest continuous culture on earth for more than 60,000 years, everyone since—or their recent antecedents—has migrated here in a mere 250 years. That is part of my personal story that I share with millions of Australians. I was six when I came to Australia, when the population was 12 million. My parents were hardworking and looking for a better life for themselves but mostly for their children. Our first home was half a Nissen hut at Holmesglen migrant hostel, which it just so happens is now the location of Holmesglen TAFE, which was the first visit I had as Minister for Skills and Training with the Prime Minister two years ago. Back then, there were no ablutions in the place we lived. We had a common dining hall and shared bathrooms but were located within touching distance of opportunity. However well my journey from migrant to immigration minister reflects well on me, it says more about this country. Few countries are so generous to first-generation migrants. This country is at its best, as the PM might say, when it doesn't leave anyone behind and it doesn't hold anyone back. To be sure, this egalitarian trait is forever tested and challenged, and, if we are to truly live up to our promise, it needs to be cultivated and protected. Affording opportunity strengthens resilience and cohesion. While I once considered Labor policies such as fair industrial relations laws, universal health care, universal superannuation, and equitable access to education training as essential for individual economic security, I increasingly consider these matters as also part of our national security and our societal wellbeing—not just good policies that stand on their own but also an antidote to extremism and division. You see the rising power of neofascism in western Europe, whose win in France was only just averted. We need only turn our eyes to our friend and ally the United States to see the division and polarisation ever increasing. And at the heart of this political malaise is—not the only cause, but the predominant one in my view—growing inequality. The assault on well-paid and secure work, the hollowing out of middle class, and the shift of its wealth to the top one per cent over nearly 50 years has had a catastrophic consequence. I hope our American friends will find a way to heal and come together, which is so important. I'm also aware that we're not immune to these threats, and we must be vigilant to avoid going down that treacherous path. I have a lot of people to acknowledge and thank, and the list just keeps getting longer, the longer I've stayed here, I've got to tell you. I'll try to do this quickly. I thank all of the hardworking public servants I've worked with across portfolios, without which the work I did could not have happened. I thank the parliamentary staff, the cleaners, the security personnel, the parliamentary attendants, the tech staff, the library researchers and the comcar drivers for their support over the many years. I thank my current staff, starting with the incomparable Julie Ligeti, who is up there in the gallery. I can't believe you were crazy enough to come back and work for me after the first time! She is not only an excellent advisor but also a great supporter of not just my staff but many ministerial staff across government. Thanks to my remarkably dedicated, intelligent and decent crew: Nick Green, Justine Evesson, Erin Smith, Simon Kent, Matt Ryan, Kylie Jensen, Ann Clavin, Gus Viola, Brihony Speed, Ben Ansell, Madi Childs and Khalil El Samad. A special shoutout goes to Allison Theuma for working as my executive every day I've served as a minister since 2008, and for making my life easier. Logistics are everything in this job—thanks, Al. Thanks to my excellent former chiefs of staff, the remarkable Yvette Nash, our very much-missed friend the unforgettable and inspirational Peta Murphy, Julian Sidebottom and Glen Atwell, thank you. Thanks to others who contributed in such important ways—Campbel Giles, Tallis Richmond, Steve Wettenhall, Kathryn McMullan, Jayne Stinson, Melissa Arch, Christian Taubenschlag, Shane Bonetti, Isaac Trienen, Dylan Steed, Christine Tyrell and Elise Murphy. Thanks to my magnificent electorate staff, who have so often represented me in my absence, including Colin Robinson, Julie Wintle, Sean Payne, Dmitri Serghis, Robert Bozinovski, Stacey Nguyen, Adiam Tsegay, Jo McMillan, Carol McKenzie, Nicole Camilleri, Alice Ryan, Catherine Campbell, Phil Clarke, Nathan Guinan and Shistri Bali. I have been here for 23 years, so that's why there's a lot of staff! Then tend to stay with me, though. It has just been that long. To my parliamentary colleagues, over the many years— An honourable member: Name them! Name them! If I name one, I have to name them all! For this term, and for all eight terms, it has been a pleasure. Thanks to the electors of Gorton and to the Labor movement—I see Michelle O'Neill up there, representing the ACTU and others. To the great Australian Labor Party that allowed me to serve here, I can't thank you enough. I thank my entire O'Connor clan for their help over all of the years. I am also indebted to the Camilleri family for looking after Una as one of their own in the early years when I was away so often—thank you. In my first speech, I thanked a few but, and I thank them again, but I'll repeat my acknowledgement of the vital role that Jodi Dack played in my career and my life. We are volunteers, but family are conscripts, and Jodie was my partner in crime for many years, for which I'm so grateful. My life has been different, and sometimes challenging as a sole parent over the last six years, and I thank Stacy McGregor for her love and support in recent years. A city pollie and a country equine vet are not the most conventional match-up, but it absolutely works. You have brought personal happiness to my life again; I thank you and I look forward to us spending more time together. To my daughter, Una: you've been remarkably strong and resilient, and your mum would be immensely proud, as am I. I sometimes couldn't work out who was looking after who. I guess we were looking after each other. Without your acceptance of my role here, I would have left this place a long time ago. I definitely will see more school drop-offs and pick-ups ahead and fun times during the school holidays. If I may, I might finish on my reflections of this place and this government since the election. I'm aware I've painted a picture of changes that aren't particularly rosy, a picture of unrest and division, but there are some very clear positive changes that have happened. When I look across this chamber, the composition today more closely resembles Australian society compared with the composition when I first arrived. Firstly, and most noticeably, there are appreciably more women, which I think is mostly owing to the transformation of the Labor caucus, which now has a majority of women in it. This has been supplemented recently, I should also note, by the rise of crossbench Independent women, mainly replacing Liberal men. This significant change makes this a better place, and, equally, more First Nations MPs and the growing diversity of ethnicity and faith present more accurately the face of modern Australia, and that is also better and healthier. Finally—I hope you don't mind—I wanted to just briefly touch on the skills portfolio! I have had more complex and more controversial portfolios than that of skills and training—portfolios with higher profiles, let's say, and day-to-day challenges—but I have loved every minute of the skills portfolio. As I said publicly recently, the Prime Minister showed foresight in providing the tertiary sector, which pretty much supplies half the skills to the labour market, a standalone minister with resources and authority to elevate it nationally in a way that has not happened before, especially given the skills shortages that we inherited, and it was a very good call. In that time, we created Jobs and Skills Australia with 10 tripartite industry skills councils and struck a five-year $30 billion National Skills Agreement with states and territories for the first time in over a decade. And, of course, we have now half a million Australians who have enrolled in fee-free TAFE in less than two years. We've put TAFE back at the centre of the VET sector, empowered the regulator to clean out dodgy providers, opened access to literacy and numeracy education for all adults and provided more support for apprentices—and there is a response to the review of apprenticeship support that has to be undertaken by the government, which I'll be watching with great anticipation. The Commonwealth has, for too long, acted more like a funding body in the VET sector rather than a strategic co-leader. The reason why it's so important to change this is that the goal of this portfolio is very much the means by which we achieve other national goals. If we're to build 1.2 million homes, have a future made in Australia, transition to renewables and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, we need our education and training sectors—schools, TAFEs and unis—to lift. So I wish my successor well and all the very best in working in this very critical portfolio. While we have so much work to do, this government, functioning as a coherent, cohesive and considered team, appreciates the connections and collaboration required across government to build the capability and resilience needed in these challenging times. I have served in three governments and sat in opposition engaged with four more, and I consider this government the most experienced and united. It will continue, I have no doubt, to be fiscally responsible and to be focused on the things that matter to the Australian people, like tackling cost-of-living pressures, and it will do what Labor governments do best, which is build our capability by bringing people together; improve opportunities for all, not just some; and work to ensure that this nation lives up to its great promise of being a strong, richly diverse and harmonious Australia of which we can all be proud. I have just two final tips. First, this chamber is a place of contest and debate, and, of course, it gets wilful at times. That's fine. Parliament did replace the battlefield to resolve disputes, after all. But the more often humanity can transcend partisanship, while it might bore the media outlets, the more the public will mark us up. Finally, it is a great, great privilege to sit in this place, so take your role very seriously by not taking yourself too seriously. Thank you very much.
Vocational Education And Training | Questions without Notice | House debates
We saw the previous government's last budget cut support for apprentices. We've actually turned that around and are now investing more money to support apprentices and employers in manufacturing,...
We saw the previous government's last budget cut support for apprentices. We've actually turned that around and are now investing more money to support apprentices and employers in manufacturing, in the housing and construction sector, in energy, and in other sectors of the economy. To ensure that we're delivering the best possible skills, we are creating centres of excellence, bringing universities and TAFEs together and working with industry. We recently announced one in Western Australia, another in Canberra and there are many more to come. We are investing in up-to-date equipment at our TAFE campuses and ensuring we increase the number of teachers and trainers we need to provide the skills pipeline for the energy sector and manufacturing sector. While those opposite say that fee-free TAFE is wasteful spending, while they still have no plan to supply skills to our economy, we'll get on with the job of supplying skills to make sure we have a Future Made in Australia.
That was a very interesting interjection because who could forget the former Liberal-National government goading a car company to leave our shores? That's exactly what happened because of the...
That was a very interesting interjection because who could forget the former Liberal-National government goading a car company to leave our shores? That's exactly what happened because of the efforts of the previous Liberal government. Of course, they've never supported the car industry and they actually said that governments shouldn't support the industry, which makes it rather bizarre that they want to tip hundreds of billions of dollars into a risky, expensive, state-owned nuclear reactor situation. Effectively, the opposition is saying that 'We couldn't support the car industry, but we can actually invest hundreds of billions of taxpayers' dollars into nuclear reactors.' Well, what a remarkable turnaround by those opposite. The fact is, we need to invest in areas of demand and we need to invest in the manufacturing sector. That's why we introduced fee-free TAFE. We've now had more than 400,000 Australians enrol in fee-free TAFE in areas such as the energy sector, the manufacturing sector, the IT sector and more. We need to ensure we match those skills—
I thank the member for Boothby for her question. It was great to be with her at Tonsley TAFE meeting with fee-free TAFE students pretty recently. Of all the things that we've learned through...
I thank the member for Boothby for her question. It was great to be with her at Tonsley TAFE meeting with fee-free TAFE students pretty recently. Of all the things that we've learned through enduring a global pandemic, perhaps the most important was the need to be more self-reliant as a nation, to stand on our own two feet, and to build greater sovereign capability. The Albanese government understands that supporting a Future Made in Australia is essential to achieving that goal to rebuild our manufacturing sector. Those opposite have historically failed to support the manufacturing sector.
Renewable Energy: Employment | Questions without Notice | House debates
I thank the member for Lingiari for her question and her strong advocacy for closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the skills area in her electorate and across this...
I thank the member for Lingiari for her question and her strong advocacy for closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the skills area in her electorate and across this country. When we came to government, we inherited the greatest skills shortage in 50 years. We also found ourselves inheriting a vocational education and training sector that was depleted and directionless, with a complete absence of national leadership. There were no agreements reached on investment or directional reform of the VET sector with any state or territory government—not one. For example, there was little or no attention paid to the transition of the energy sector, imperative to successfully decarbonise the economy and shift to renewables, the cheapest energy source available. Upon election, we started working to make up lost time. We convened the Jobs and Skills Summit, bringing constituent parts of the economy together. We established Jobs and Skills Australia to provide strategic advice in education and training and providing skills to a fast-changing economy. Last year, 355,000 Australians enrolled in fee-free TAFE in areas of demand, including in the energy sector, with a further 320,000 courses available from this year. We struck a National Skills Agreement with every state and territory, the first of its kind in more than a decade, with $30 billion of certainty of funding over five years to make sure that we supply the skills that are needed. We're providing $10,000 in financial support to clean energy apprentices. Those apprentices, of course, will be getting a tax cut next Monday, as are 13.6 million taxpayers in this country, a result of this government. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy and I announced further investment in the clean energy sector to increase teachers and trainers, to supply the skills that are needed for this sector. Ten days ago, I was in Western Australia and I was announcing a joint centre of excellence between a university, TAFE and industry in the clean energy sector. This is a plan for clean energy. This is something which the opposition's plan is devoid of. There has been no reference to a nuclear energy industry workforce plan in anything that has been uttered by the Leader of the Opposition. The reality is they do not have any details. They do not have any plans to supply the skills in this area. The main reason they don't have any plans is because in their heart of hearts they know that their so-called plan doesn't have any chance of happening.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2024-2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
I rise to make some comments in relation to the decision by the government to continue to invest in skills and training and invest in our future. The budget handed down three weeks ago by the...
I rise to make some comments in relation to the decision by the government to continue to invest in skills and training and invest in our future. The budget handed down three weeks ago by the Treasurer is one for every Australian. We're delivering a tax cut to every taxpayer and a $300 energy rebate to every household. Helping Australians with the cost of living is our government's No. 1 priority, so we're making medicines cheaper, increasing Commonwealth rental assistance and waiving $3 billion of student debt. At the same time, the budget will ensure that we continue to strengthen the VET sector, close national skills gaps and train the skilled workforce we need right across the economy, including to achieve our ambitious goals of building 1.2 million more homes, net zero and a Future Made in Australia. While the opposition budget reply did not contain a single skills policy, our budget included measures to bolster skills growth and development in the clean energy sector, the construction and housing sector, and the manufacturing sector, as well as to support apprentices and break down barriers for women in male-dominated industries. These investments continue our work to remove cost barriers to education and training and incentivise people to train in areas where our economy needs them most. That's why we've made announcements to continue investing in fee-free TAFE, with 20,000 additional places to teach skills in the housing and construction workforce. By removing financial barriers to study, fee-free TAFE is giving Australians a great opportunity to get secure and stable employment. Our commitment to deliver 20,000 additional fee-free places in construction and housing comes on the back of 355,000 Australians having already enrolled in fee-free TAFE last year, and we are delivering a further 300,000 fee-free TAFE places from this year. I visited many TAFEs in Sydney and Melbourne recently with federal colleagues, including Randwick TAFE, Ultimo TAFE, Chisolm and Dandenong TAFEs, and Swinburne. During these visits we spoke with students who right now are training in areas of high skill needs, thanks to fee-free TAFE—students like Chelsea, from Victoria, who is completing her pre-apprenticeship in plumbing. Chelsea chose the course because she likes the hands-on work and likes that it gets the mind thinking as well. She said a fee-free TAFE course makes it easier for her. Students like Chelsea are on track to get secure and well-paid jobs and help build more homes for Australians. As we help train the future workforce we're investing $265 million to provide additional targeted support to priority apprentices. Importantly, we're reversing some of the baked-in cuts left by the previous coalition government. Apprentices who are training in priority areas will receive an additional $2,000 while their employers will receive an additional $1,000 in the first year to subsidise costs—$5,000 each in total, which is an improvement upon the previous government's last budget, where we saw the cutting of support for both employers and apprentices. When we came to government we were left without a national skills agreement. In fact, for the entire time of the previous government, almost a decade, they did not strike a national skills agreement. The skills shortage and tight labour market has indeed compelled industry to challenge the outdated notion that only half the population is suitable for jobs. I speak of those occupations that have been, in this case, predominantly male and have really locked out opportunities for women in very high-paid skilled work. For that reason, we want to do more. The budget provides $55 million to increase the proportion of women in male dominated trades. It's not only socially good; it's an economic imperative that we provide the supply of needed skills to the construction sector. This is another way that we can provide opportunities for women while also supplying skills to this important sector. There are also great opportunities in our rapidly evolving renewables sector. A study by Jobs and Skills Australia shows that the sector will need an additional 240,000 workers. We're investing over $90 million to help skill the clean energy workforce, including $50 million for training facility upgrades and $30 million to accelerate the clean energy teacher and trainer workforce. We've also expanded the New Energy Apprenticeships Program so more apprentices can benefit from the $10,000 cost-of-living cash boost to complete their training in a clean energy related occupation. These are investments that will help workers who need skills and help businesses that are crying out for skills that they have up to this point not been able to find and that our economy needs to ensure that we have a future made in Australia.
Vocational Education and Training | Questions without Notice | House debates
Well, I won't be taking anger management lessons from the Leader of the Opposition, I assure you. When it comes to skills, the employer bodies have said that the opposition leader has no clue....
Well, I won't be taking anger management lessons from the Leader of the Opposition, I assure you. When it comes to skills, the employer bodies have said that the opposition leader has no clue. They called his budget reply 'a momentous act of economic self-harm', and the Business Council actually said that it will 'compound our existing skills shortages and make it harder to do business'. I need no anger management lessons from you, I assure you.
In their last budget, they cut support for apprentices and employers. We've attended to that, because the Albanese government knows that apprentices need more support, not less support. Under a...
In their last budget, they cut support for apprentices and employers. We've attended to that, because the Albanese government knows that apprentices need more support, not less support. Under a Labor government, from 1 July the new first-year incentive for those employing apprentices in priority areas will increase by $1,000 what was proposed under the Liberals' last budget, while apprentices will receive $5,000 in direct financial support, an increase of $2,000 from what was planned by the previous government. And, of course, from 1 July every apprentice in this country will receive a tax cut, and they would not have received it under those opposite. In contrast, the opposition have called fee-free TAFE 'wasteful spending'. They don't support the new energy apprenticeships. They don't support the extra 20,000 fee-free TAFE places in the housing and construction sector. In fact, they don't support any investment in energy or housing. You'd think that, as the country battles through the largest skills shortage, which we were bequeathed, they would have something to say about skills. But, after the budget reply speech by the Leader of the Opposition, employer groups rebuked the opposition leader—
I thank the member for Bean for his question and, indeed, for his strong advocacy for the VET sector across the country. I'll say this too: when we came to government, we inherited the worst...
I thank the member for Bean for his question and, indeed, for his strong advocacy for the VET sector across the country. I'll say this too: when we came to government, we inherited the worst skills shortage in more than half a century. The shortages extended across the labour market and were as deep as they were wide. That's why we convened the Jobs and Skills Summit, and that's why in last year alone more than 355,000 Australians enrolled in fee-free TAFE, and a further 320,000 places are available from this year on in areas of demand. It's why we struck the National Skills Agreement with the state and territory governments, the first National Skills Agreement in a decade. In a decade, you on that side did not sign up one agreement in the skills area—not one! This is $30 billion. We're also giving more support to apprentices and employers, because, when the opposition were last in government, their last budget cut support—
Gorton Electorate: National Volunteer Week | Constituency Statements | House debates
Last week, Australia celebrated National Volunteer Week, a time to recognise the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the country. Today I rise to share the story of two remarkable...
Last week, Australia celebrated National Volunteer Week, a time to recognise the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the country. Today I rise to share the story of two remarkable organisations in my electorate of Gorton and the people who run them. These organisations are the heart of their communities, and volunteers are their backbone. Firstly, I'd like to highlight the Caroline Springs Scout Group who I recently visited in Burnside Heights. Led by the remarkable Claire Mouser, whose dedication spans 13 years, this group has blossomed into one of Victoria's largest and most active Scout groups. Claire's leadership has been instrumental. Lately, her focus has shifted to the eldest youth section of the scouts, known as Rovers. Claire says this group, between 18 and 26 years old, have faced unique challenges because of the pandemic. She's guiding them as they reconnect, rebuild, push their way into the community and develop their adult lives. Claire's commitment extends beyond scouting. She is also a cherished member of the Caroline Springs RSL sub branch. The partnership between Scouts and the RSL has been symbiotic, showcasing the power of intergenerational collaboration and community spirit. Claire's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Her recognition as the 2024 Melton Citizen of the Year is a testament to her unwavering dedication and service. I also had the privilege of meeting Cynthia Frane and her fellow members of the Horseshoe Bend Community Group, a collective of local volunteers devoted to revitalising the site formerly known as Horseshoe Bend Farm. Through their tireless efforts, this group has been transforming the farm into a vibrant hub of community engagement and cultural enrichment. From working bees to educational workshops, they tirelessly collaborate with traditional owners to preserve and share the rich heritage of our land. Their outreach embraces schools, families, youth groups, aged-care and disability support organisations. They generously donate a significant portion of their produce to a local Foodbank. I'm proud to share that both these organisations were recent recipients of a volunteers grant by the federal government, a testament to their important work and the vital role volunteers play in shaping our society. As we celebrate these two remarkable groups, let us not forget the countless other clubs, societies and community organisations that rely on the selflessness and dedication of volunteers. They are the unsung heroes who labour tirelessly behind the scenes, enriching our communities, uplifting those in need. To all volunteers across my electorate of Gorton and indeed our nation, I extend my deepest gratitude. Your kindness, generosity and unwavering commitment embody the true spirit of Australian mateship. Together, let us continue to support and honour the invaluable contributions of volunteers, for they are the life blood of our communities.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I thank the member for Chisholm for her question and her strong advocacy for TAFE. I can't wait to get back to Holmesglen TAFE very soon because they're doing great work there. In the last two...
I thank the member for Chisholm for her question and her strong advocacy for TAFE. I can't wait to get back to Holmesglen TAFE very soon because they're doing great work there. In the last two years the Albanese government has enacted big reforms and deepened its investment in education and training. We've had to work fast because we inherited the biggest skills shortage in more than 50 years from those opposite. Last year alone more than 355,000 Australians enrolled in fee-free TAFE, and a further 320,000 fee-free TAFE places from this year on are available to enrol in—investment which is absolutely vital. We also struck a national skills agreement with the states and territories—the first agreement of its kind in a decade, providing $30 billion of security of investment to the VET sector, which is critical. We're creating centres of excellence, bringing TAFEs and universities and industry together. It was great to hear how industry responded to the budget. Master Builders welcomed the focus on encouraging more women into trades and the announcement of more fee-free TAFE places in housing. The ACTU said our investment in education and training was needed after a decade of inaction and denial under those opposite—yes, we're allowed to mention unions in the chamber; it's okay! Bran Black, from the BCA, said, 'The government's commitment to reforming Australia's skills system is welcomed by business.' He added, 'The Business Council is pleased with the investments in growing the construction and housing workforce.' However, his response to the opposition leader's budget reply on skills was to warn, 'It may compound our existing skill shortages and make it harder to do business.' That's what BCA thinks of the Leader of the Opposition. Innes Willox, of Ai Group, said, 'The budget makes important investments in skilling and training of our workforce,' and welcomes the focus on construction and housing. In contrast, he called the skills portion of the opposition leader's budget reply 'a momentous act of economic self-harm'. That's what Ai Group thinks of the budget reply speech by the Leader of the Opposition—a completely momentous act of economic self-harm. On this side of the chamber we are supporting skills and education needed for a future made in Australia. By contrast the opposition's budget reply has made it clear they have no plan for the future for this country, and a total disregard for skilling young people and supporting apprentices and giving industry the skills they need. The only idea the opposition leader had was the bizarre call to duty for retirees to get back on the tools and supplement their pension. No wonder we have a skills shortage in this country, with those ideas. We'll continue to invest in skills in this country, and that's—
Budget | Questions without Notice | House debates
I thank the member for Lalor for her question. She understands, as well as anybody in this place, how important education and training are for people, and I think it's clear that, if we don't...
I thank the member for Lalor for her question. She understands, as well as anybody in this place, how important education and training are for people, and I think it's clear that, if we don't invest in education and training, we're not going to deliver what we need to. In less than two years, the Albanese Labor government has enacted big reforms and deepened its investment in education and training. We've created Jobs and Skills Australia, which is advising government and industry to supply skills to transition our energy sector, to build more homes and infrastructure, to rebuild manufacturing, to provide care for older Australians and to provide education to our preschool kids. The fact is we're going to continue to do more. Last year alone, 355,000 Australians enrolled in fee-free TAFE, and a further 320,000 fee-free TAFE places are available from this year on, and that is absolutely vital. We've struck a national skills agreement with state and territories, the first national skills agreement in a decade, which is a $30 billion investment in the VET sector over five years. Centres of excellence will be created to bring TAFEs and universities together—more higher apprenticeships and improving foundation skills and more. In the university sector, Minister Clare, in response to the accord review, is implementing landmark reforms to ensure we have a more skilled and knowledgeable workforce. The fact is the budget handed down by the Treasurer on Tuesday is going to provide much relief for people in this country, but we'll also be investing in skills needed by our workers, businesses and economy. Of course, starting on 1 July, every Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut. Every household in this country will get $300 off their electricity bill. As for skills, we reversed the savage cuts made by those opposite when they removed the apprenticeship support exactly at the time you don't do that. We've actually increased support for apprentices as a result of this budget. We've added a further 20,000 fee-free TAFE places in the housing and construction sector to supply more housing, and we will invest a further $90 million—and I'll be working with the Minister for Climate Change and Energy on this—in the clean energy workforce to establish a national hydrogen skills training centre. All of this is directed to ensure we have a future made in Australia. By contrast, those opposite cut apprenticeship support, spoke out against tax cuts and called fee-free TAFE 'wasteful spending'. Tonight, the opposition leader has a test: he will either outline a plan for Australia's future or make it perfectly clear he will play no part in it.