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

No, I cannot, because Senator Cameron is wrong, as is usual. He is dead wrong, as is quite customary. It wouldn't surprise anybody on this side of the chamber to know that Senator Cameron frequently comes into this chamber and makes stuff-ups, essentially, because for Senator Cameron it's all just one long diatribe. One long diatribe with occasional bursts of intermission is what we get from Senator Doug Cameron.

The truth is that the Turnbull government stands committed to the $1.5 billion Skilling Australians Fund. The Skilling Australians Fund is being implemented to make sure we get accountability from states and territories to boost the number of apprenticeships and to overcome the decline in apprenticeships that came about following the 2012 budget decisions of the previous Labor government. They precipitated a decline in apprenticeship commencements and therefore the decline we have had ever since in apprenticeships being undertaken and, ultimately, apprenticeship completions.

What the Turnbull government did last night was to make sure that there was some additional funding attached to the Skilling Australians Fund and to support the states and territories in relation to apprenticeships to address the fact that there had been some revisions in the estimates of what the levy would raise. That is because we are committed to making sure that the promise we gave last year of $1½ billion to support the Skilling Australians Fund will be delivered—and it will be delivered. It's clearly in the budget, and it's still $1.5 billion. Senator Cameron can make up whatever he might like to make up, and I have no doubt—let me make a bold prediction—he will move to take note after question time. I bet we'll get a five-minute diatribe from Senator Cameron, the likes of which we're all used to hearing. Of course, there'll be all the usual class war rhetoric from Senator Cameron and more lies and misinformation. But we are committed to delivering the $1½ billion Skilling Australians Fund to create more apprenticeship opportunities for young Australians.