Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am shocked to hear the previous speaker state that the Building the Education Revolution program was the worst program ever introduced. Just for his information, I would like to put on the record the regional rorts program that was overseen by the Howard government. In my area that program saw money used to dredge Tumbi Creek, but it was cleared in one downfall of rain. Also, the Howard government’s contribution to education was to put in place Australian technical colleges. I thought I would share with the House some of the benefits of the Australian technical college in my electorate. The Shortland electorate covers both the Hunter and the Central Coast. The Central Coast ATC actually never came to fruition and the Newcastle-Hunter ATC was dogged with problems.

Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unions.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, not at all. Parents had to build the workbenches because the ATC was so disorganised that they could not even provide workbenches for their students. Compare that with what the Rudd Labor government have done. The Central Coast ATC that could never get off the ground has now been placed in the schools within the region. That will really benefit people in the Shortland electorate. High schools in the area are quite spread out. Members opposite living in the inner Brisbane seats would not understand what it is like to have to travel long distances to get to a technical college. The ATC has now been situated in the schools so students can utilise the program. It has been welcomed by all the teachers and all the students, and it is a program that is working really well.

Along with that, schools on the Central Coast have all been given trades training centres. Lake Munmorah High School, Gorokan High School and Northlakes High School have all received trades training centres. In these trades training centres they will study carpentry and hospitality. That will benefit people in an area that has a very low school retention rate. Actually, the Central Coast has the lowest retention rate of anywhere in Australia. These schools are linking into what the students need and giving them the skills that they need to find jobs. The Central Coast has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the country. This program is putting in place centres within schools so students can learn trades so that when they leave school they will be ready to either continue to study or enter the workforce.

I would have to say that this is in stark contrast to what the opposition has planned for these schools in the Shortland electorate. The Leader of the Opposition has been very vocal in saying that he is going to rip these trades training centres out of the schools that have had approval in round 2. This will severely disadvantage those students, particularly on the Central Coast where they have to travel long distances to undertake training. This is a wonderful initiative. It is providing training and skills to young people while they are still at school, and it is in stark contrast to the failed ATC program where the college did not even get off the ground on the Central Coast. I would like to commend the minister for her initiative in the trades training centres and in putting the ATCs in the schools on the Central Coast.