House debates Questions without Notice
Vocational Education and Training
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education and Training
2:04 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. The number of Australians doing an apprenticeship or a traineeship is lower than it was a decade ago, so why has this government cut $3 billion from TAFE and training?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I've learnt from experience that when the member for Sydney puts forward statistics or figures they can never be taken at face value. But what I can tell you is that at the last election our government committed to 80,000 new apprentices and, as that program has begun to be wound out, we've already had 2,000 people take up that program, and we look forward to further success.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education and Training
I just wanted to offer to table the figures.
Tony Smith Speaker
I haven't called the member for Sydney yet. Is the member for Sydney seeking to table the document?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education and Training
I was seeking to table a document to prove the numbers that the Prime Minister is questioning.
Leave not granted.