Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Marshall for his ongoing interest in vocational education in Victoria. It is well known that the federal government has made a record investment in skills and training in this country in order to support the states in providing educational opportunity for young people and to meet the skills needs of industry. It is a vital time for the development of skills in our economy, and that is why we have invested.

But recent announcements by the Victorian and New South Wales Liberal-National governments put that effort at risk. Despite their signing up to a COAG agreement in April which is designed to lift the effort, to lift the number of training places and the quality of those places, they have made savage cuts to the TAFE budgets in their states. As a result of that we are seeing a full-on assault on the capacity of the TAFE systems in those states to provide opportunities for their young people. We have seen the loss of jobs for trainers, we have seen the loss of opportunity to attend campuses. Campuses are closing, courses are closing and there is great damage being done to our capacity to support education in this country.

Those governments committed to lift their efforts, but what we are seeing is savage cuts which are destroying the capacity to train in those states, reducing opportunities, seeing staff thrown out of work. Fundamentally, we rely on that training effort to meet the skills needs of employers. They will increasingly look to overseas labour if they cannot get the skills. If kids cannot get a chance at a trade or vocational training then we will see employers looking elsewhere. We need to continue to make that investment in the skills of young people if we are to prosper as a country. (Time expired)