Senate debates

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Questions without Notice

Australian Skills Quality Authority

2:57 pm

Photo of Simon BirminghamSimon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

They are necessary. This report demonstrates the problems in the sector. But sadly many of these problems and many of the other problems I and the government have been addressing over the last couple of years have been evident for some time. Of course, the previous government set up many of these systems but did so quite inadequately. It was Labor that supported training for training's sake, often to mask their poor record on employment. It was Labor that failed to support the structuring of training in a way that directly meets the needs of employers and business. It was Labor that put in place the regulatory structure that we have had to reform to fix these problems. It was Labor that established the VET FEE-HELP system that has been so greatly rorted to the tune of millions and millions of dollars, which we are addressing. It was Labor that failed to provide ASQA with the powers to provide infringement notices, which we have now put in place. All of these measures are about ensuring we have a stronger, higher quality training sector in future.

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