Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate about the Australian Training Awards, which recognise excellence in vocational education?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, yes I can. You would be aware that, at the end of the last sitting week—in fact, on the Thursday night—the 25th Australian Training Awards were held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, and this was all about recognising the excellence and professionalism in vocational education and training in Australia. I was delighted to attend and to meet with hundreds and hundreds of people who are dedicated to ensuring that the vocational education and training sector in Australia is the best it can be.

Our government recognises that vocational education and training is an important pathway. It is an important pathway that has served the Australian community, individuals, businesses and our economy well for the better part of a century. In fact, it is our highly skilled workforce in Australia that sets us apart from other countries and ensures that we are a place of unrivalled economic growth.

At the training awards, there were a number of awards handed out. In fact, there were 18 handed out on the night. The Apprentice of the Year was a gentleman by the name of Mr Michael Edwards, and he was from Wagga Wagga. Many of the senators in this place will be pleased to know that Mr Edwards was a mature-age person. He was a motor mechanic for 15 years before his bosses at Snowy Hydro said to him, 'We would like you to take on another trade and become an electrician.' As Mr Edwards said, this was a great decision for both parties, both for the employer and for him in particular, because the skills that he now has as a mature-age person are in such high demand. We also had a young lady from Perth by the name of Caitlin Whittle. She won the Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year. I wish all of the winners on the night my very best.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, a supplementary question?

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, why is it important to highlight the achievements of those in vocational education?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because, without the skills and expertise delivered through a vocational education and training system, the services that underpin our everyday lives as Australians could not be delivered. Australia's vocational and education training system is a world-class system. It not only serves millions of Australians, providing them with valuable qualifications; it also contributed $5.2 billion of export income to the Australian economy just last year. But, disappointingly—and because of VET FEE-HELP instituted by those on the other side—all too often these outstanding achievements are undermined by the VET FEE-HELP system, which those on the other side implemented, that allowed dodgy providers to step in and basically destroy vocational education and training within Australia. We have progressively ensured that we have put the integrity back into the system by cleaning up Labor's mess.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, a final supplementary question?

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, how is the Liberal-National government strengthening the vocational education sector?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Vocational education and training is a valuable career path for so many Australians, and it deserves to be recognised for the contribution that it makes to our economy. We invest in it because we know that vocational education and training is vital to our economic success. We established the Skilling Australians Fund, and I'm pleased to say that this has been signed up to by all states except, unfortunately, the state of Victoria and the state of Queensland. The other states that have signed up to it will now have the opportunity to create tens of thousands of new apprenticeship places. We're also investing an additional $1.2 billion on skills programs as a government, and we also provide $1.5 billion to the states and territories for skills through the National Skills and Workforce Development Specific Purpose Payment. We also recently announced a $60 million wage subsidy pilot for apprentices in rural and regional Australia.