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

I thank those who have contributed to this debate. I am disappointed that some of those contributors opposite did not start their contributions with an apology for getting the nation in this mess in the first place. Nonetheless, I thank them for their contributions and the indications of support for the legislation.

The approach of the Labor Party and their commentary on this matter is a little bit like arsonists who lit a fire and complained that the fire brigade came too late. The truth is, we have been working to put this fire out, for some time. We have been quite open and transparent about the problem, the need for us to confront the problem, the reforms we have been implementing and the time line within which those reforms are implemented. Some of the reasons for reforms taking a little longer to be brought to the table and to be brought to effect than might be ideal are that we have real students enrolled in real circumstances, right around the country, and we have to make sure their studies—where they are in legitimate areas of study—are not disrupted.

It is important for the chamber to remember that it was in 2012 that the previous Labor government opened up the VET FEE-HELP scheme. They changed it and, in their changes, there were insufficient controls or safeguards to protect students' or taxpayers' money. Let us have a quick look at some of the statements made during those 2012 debates and discussions, in the parliament, to open up the scheme. In the other place, Ms Bird, the then Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education and Skills—now shadow minister for vocational education and training—said:

… improving access to VET FEE-HELP is just one of a range of reforms the Labor government is driving to help more people get the skills they need to improve their job prospects and get better pay, a more rewarding career and a better future.

Some people have benefited from the expansion of VET FEE-HELP but, sadly, many have been ripped off, including the taxpayer. Ms Bird went on to say:

This approach will further reduce the administrative and regulatory burden placed on applicants and providers and encourage increased uptake of the scheme by quality providers, and ultimately students.

She was damned right about the increased uptake; that certainly occurred. Sadly, it was not always by quality providers or students seeking the right outcome.

In this chamber we had similar contributions. Senator Bilyk said, during that 2012 debate:

By simplifying the administrative aspects of the VET FEE-HELP scheme, we will also see a further increase in the number of training organisations that will offer courses under the scheme.

What we heard from Senator O'Neill and others—