In the last 3½ years, we've seen 185,000 free TAFE enrolments in Victoria alone, and that means more nurses, more tradies and more early childhood educators for Victoria. Free TAFE is growing the pipeline of skilled workers Australia needs, and that's why we've made it permanent. And yet the coalition and One Nation continue to stand against it. They voted against making it permanent, and at every opportunity they talk it down, and with it they talk down the hundreds of thousands of Australians who've seen the value in free TAFE.

Senator Stewart might be interested to find out that the most recent criticisms come from a trio of Victorians. On Radio National a fortnight ago, when asked where their savage budget cuts should come from, Senator Hume specifically called out free TAFE as something that needed to go. She's previously said that 'free TAFE' is a slogan and asked, 'Why would you continue it?' That is Senator Hume, a Victorian. (Time expired)