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

The answer is still no, Senator. Think about it. The budget of the Victorian government is determined by the cabinet of the Victorian government. They can choose to fund TAFE at whatever level they like. That is not something I can influence; it is not something I can determine for them. Their cabinet met and, in a budget where they had to find savings, they deliberately targeted TAFE. They thought it was politically more opportune to take $300 million out of their TAFE, a massive slice, than to target other areas. I think they are learning that that was not so smart—that people value TAFE, they value vocational education opportunities, they have seen the terrible damage it is doing in rural and regional Victoria, and they know that the Nationals have been silent on this matter. We hear nothing about them. They bang on all the time about more support for rural and regional Australia. Where are they while the TAFEs in that state have been absolutely sold off and destroyed? The Baillieu government has to answer for the— (Time expired)