Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying, it is my pleasure to inform the Senate that, yes, Australia was represented at the WorldSkills competition. Twenty-nine young apprentices and trainees from around the country attended the competition in Canada. I had the great honour, along with Dr Andrew Southcott in the other place, to attend a number of functions for Australia’s team, known as the Skillaroos; the presentation of blazers to team members; and also the farewell. This is an extremely competitive process. Competition is fierce. The Koreans, who are ranked No. 1 in the world at the WorldSkills competition, pay their competitors. They have full-time training for their trades apprentices to compete at this competition. In Australia, that is not the case. We went into this competition ranked fifth in the world, which for our apprentices and our trainees was a very, very good effort.

I am happy to announce to the Senate and also the country that our competitors did the country proud. They doubled their medal tally from the previous WorldSkills competition in Japan in 2007, winning two gold, five silver and five bronze medals, which is an outstanding result for those young Australians. Can I put on record that the gold medals were won by James Sun and Jessie-Lee Gladwell in the fields of restaurant service and beauty therapy respectively. Silver and bronze medals were won in the fields of manufacturing— (Time expired)