Mary Doyle (Aston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Skills and Training. How are the Albanese Labor government ensuring Australians, particularly apprentices, can make the most of the opportunities in the clean energy sector? Are they aware of any alternatives?

Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Skills and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank my friend the member for Aston for her question. Like all of us on this side of the House, she understands how critical it is that Australia makes the most of the opportunities of net zero and in particular the opportunities to upskill and work in the clean energy economy. The Albanese government has had a clear focus on delivering opportunities for Australians, for communities and for the economy and on how we can ensure that Australians in every corner of the country can access the skills they want for the jobs we need in our growing clean energy sector.

Of course, this includes our fantastic New Energy Apprenticeships Program, a program which has already seen more than 13,000 people pick up the tools and begin their path to become tradies in new energy, with the help of $10,000 incentive payments over the course of their apprenticeship to help with the cost of living now and to help with completing their qualifications. These thousands of tradies will ensure our renewable energy infrastructure can be built, maintained and sustained to service Australia well into the future in automotive trades, in plumbing and in electrical trades—training Australians to build our future. So far, the program has seen a retention rate, at the 12-month mark, of 85 per cent, making a real difference and opening doors of opportunity to pre-apprenticeship students like Jaz and Sayed, who I met in Box Hill TAFE with the member for Menzies and who are benefiting from free TAFE, and to students in communities like Gippsland, where I met Siobhan, a qualified electrician blazing a trail for others—

in Gippsland, Member for Gippsland.

We know that the Leader of the Opposition thinks that if you don't pay for something you don't value it. That's her track record on free TAFE. But, fortunately, she does back net zero by 2050, or she did. The Leader of the Opposition said only a few years ago, 'I think the net zero by 2050 aim is perfect.' 'Perfect', she said, but not to those sitting beside her, because let's not forget the coalition's first bill of this term was to abandon net zero. That's not perfect. While our government is delivering opportunity for Australians in clean energy, they're fighting amongst themselves about whether or not to even believe in climate change. Let's be clear about this: abandoning climate action isn't just reckless for our economy. It's reckless for our environment and it's reckless for jobs. It means slamming the doors shut for people like Jaz, Sayed and Siobhan. But, in place of the division, dysfunction and denial over there, the Albanese government will continue to deliver the clean energy skills Australians need, the clean energy jobs Australians want and the clean energy transition that will set Australia up for the future.