Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bernardi for another excellent question. ASQA now has the power to take regulatory action against an RTO using a broker. If the broker is breaching the national vocation regulation standards—for example, standards which require RTOs to inform clients about services to be provided and about their rights and obligations—ASQA now has the power to take firm action against RTOs, bringing on compliance under the new standards that we have announced. Any broker will be held to account if they are not following the standards.

The Minister for Industry has raised, potentially, legislative changes in the new year to capture those dodgy brokers not directly associated with an RTO. This will give the regulator even greater power to clean up those on the edge, those who are undermining the great work of the majority in the training system. Make no mistake: if we have to introduce legislation to stamp this out, we will. This unscrupulous behaviour cannot go ahead. The former government sat on its hands again. (Time expired)