Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

While the Commonwealth government is investing heavily at record levels in higher education and skills, unfortunately, we have seen a reduction in commitment to training and skills development in three states, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. It is not just about their politics—the Western Australian government and the South Australian government are keeping up their level of effort—what we are seeing in Victoria and New South Wales and Queensland is conservative governments closing facilities, closing courses, sacking staff and reducing opportunities for young Australians to get skills that will lead them into better jobs. The failure to maintain investment in those states is undermining the opportunities for those young people. It is undermining their capacity to go on to further tertiary education, and those states have to be held accountable for the damage the cuts are doing to the skilling and education of young Australians. (Time expired)

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper until at least February next year.