Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I stand to speak to document No. 21, which talks about the national training system of vocational education and training. In terms of the national training system, I wanted to alert the Senate and the public to the great progress that has been made in Launceston and on the north-west coast of Tasmania at Burnie with respect to Australia’s technical colleges. The previous government had plans to expand Australia’s technical colleges but that has concluded under the Rudd Labor government. I specifically want to commend the work of Australian Technical College Northern Tasmania’s CEO, Nigel Hill, its chairman, Mac Russell, and its board. I thank them for their work. I also want to commend the previous federal member for Bass, Michael Ferguson, who was a very strong advocate and a great supporter of the Australian technical college’s Launceston campus. As a result of his effort—and, indeed, of the Tasmanian Liberal Senate team at the time—the construction of the new premises of that Australian technical college is now well underway. It is an excellent facility.

A couple of weeks ago there was a tour with Andrew Southcott, the shadow minister for Employment Participation and Apprenticeships and Training. He toured the south, he toured the north, he toured the north-west and he was well appreciated by not only the representatives of the Australian technical college, but also by the families and others who he visited during his tour. I want to note that during his visit, particularly in Launceston, he met with not only Nigel Hill but also Martin Binns, CEO of Launceston Workplace Learning, and the Launceston Chamber of Commerce. That meeting was with Louise Clark, Jessica Hughes, Frank Lyons and Janet McBain. It was a very productive and worthwhile meeting indeed. Senator Richard Colbeck and Senator Parry hosted his visit on the north-west coast, and Senator Colbeck has made some very sensible comments about the merit of Australian technical colleges for this country, including in Tasmania. He was also hosted in the south of Tasmania.

In terms of the benefits of the Australian technical colleges, I note Senator Colbeck’s statement of 1 August relating to that particular visit. He said that the 2007 apprentices and trainees annual report indicated the national completion rate was 49.5 per cent, but at 31 December 2007 there were 405,500 apprentices and trainees in training and ‘it is disturbing to think that some 200,000 of those may not complete’. Yes, it is disturbing. The Australian technical colleges have delivered improved apprenticeship retention rates and they are helping to save the community millions of dollars. That is happening.

The ATCs have a national retention rate of 90 per cent, but in Tasmania it is even higher, at 97 per cent. So the results are already on the board as a result of the previous government’s initiative and as a result of this project getting up and going. It is certainly a great achievement. Since its inception, there has been a delivery of nationally recognised certificate III trade training in conjunction with the relevant TCE program. There is certificate III training that is currently being provided for carpentry, commercial cookery, metals and engineering, fabrication, metals and engineering and mechanical electrotechnology. In 2009 this will extend to certificate III training in automotive, information technology and business studies, so there is great merit. I wanted to particularly acknowledge the success of the ATC. They had the Australian school based apprentice of the year, Warwick Johnstone, last year. That is a great credit to the Australian Technical College in Launceston, to Nigel Hill and his team, and they should be commended for the success, as should Warwick Johnstone be commended for his national award.

In conclusion, I just want to say it is up to the local members in Tasmania to stand up for the Australian technical college, and that is the big question: will they stand up? Will federal members Jodie Campbell and Sid Sidebottom stand up for the ATC and their future? That is the big question. (Time expired)