Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition's hand picked shadow minister for skills and training, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, has let slip the opposition's plan to axe training opportunities for apprentices. Senator Price believes that the government's modest $10,000 incentive payments to housing-apprentice tradies increases inflation and has vowed to scrap the Key Apprenticeship Program. Why does a Country Liberal Party representative not want Territory kids, like those at Nightcliff High School, to get a hand with the cost of living whilst they're on an apprentice wage? Australia can't build more homes without more tradies to build them.

Last month I celebrated the partnership of Intract, McMahon Services, the Housing Industry Association and SEDA to deliver the construction and trade program to receive a Certificate II in Construction Pathways. The program helps students discover the trade that best suits their skills and interests. We all know there are fantastic opportunities in construction. We need more young kids going into these key apprenticeship programs. It's about opportunities for our children, but it's also about building more supply—more houses for Australians. I don't know why the Country Liberal Party, those opposite, don't want to support our apprentices in the construction trades.