My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Skills and Training, Minister Watt. The Age has today revealed that the Australian Skills Quality Authority was tipped off in 2023 about a syndicate distributing potentially hundreds of fake qualifications, including to workers on federally funded building projects. When did the minister first become aware that fake qualifications were being distributed on sites and endangering the safety of workers? And what action did the minister take?

Thank you, Senator Hume, for the question. I did see that report in this morning's edition of the Age. What I also saw was that action was being taken on this matter at the Victorian government level, which is entirely appropriate. I don't have any information in my possession as to the involvement or knowledge of the federal minister. If there's anything I can provide on that, I will.

While I'm on my feet, just reflecting on some of Senator Hume's comments recently about skill levels—and, of course, she recently made some comments about how much she'd like to see Josh Frydenberg return here because they need to have the A team—

Minister—

which can only mean they have the B team at the moment!

Minister Watt, I'm going to direct you to the question. Senator McGrath?

There you go. I'm on the program. Minister Watt, please continue.

I'm not sure whether Senator McGrath is identifying himself as a member of the A team or the B team there, and whether he's taking exception on what Senator Hume is saying. But I have answered the question and I've got a minute 10 left to talk about Josh Frydenberg and Senator Hume—about how much she wants to see Josh Frydenberg back!

Minister Watt, resume your seat. Senator Cash?

My point of order, again, President, is on relevance. This is actually an incredibly serious issue.

Thank you. I have drawn the minister to the question, and I will remind him again.

As I've said, if there's anything further that I can provide on this matter, I will. But it has been interesting, this week, to see the reflections of a range of coalition figures on the skill level of their current operations. We know that you don't want to talk about that. We know there's a—

Hello, Braggy! We know there's a couple of people over there who like the idea of Josh Frydenberg coming back, aren't there, Braggy? There are a couple of unnamed moderates in the Liberals saying how much they'd like to see Josh Frydenberg come back here, because Josh Frydenberg has reflected on the fact that you need better leadership.

Minister Watt, I draw you back to the question.

More broadly, there's serious action to crack down on shonky VET providers offering dodgy qualifications, because let's not forget that one of the reasons our government has had to take action on shonky VET providers is because 10 years of coalition government allowed those providers to flourish, just like, when the migration system that you left behind was completely broken, completely rorted, who had to fix it? The Albanese Labor government. If all you want to talk about is the action we've taken to fix the skills system and the migration system, we're happy to do so. (Time expired)

Senator Hume, first supplementary?

Fake certificates are reportedly being sold to workers for cash in car parks and in pubs. Minister, as a former minister for skills yourself, how many fraudulent qualification certificates has the Australian Skills Quality Authority identified on federally funded building sites, and what action have you taken?

Minister Wong?

Just a point of order—whatever respect that Senator Hume has for Senator Watt's previous ministerial role, she's not able to ask him a question in that capacity, and so it should be the minister, not him, because he has no ministerial responsibility for this issue.

Senator Hume, I haven't called you, so I am not sure whether or not you're—yes, of course Minister Wong is right, and I'm sure you know that, with a previous minister, you can't go back there and ask questions. I'm not sure how much of your question relates to Minister Watt's current portfolio in what he's representing, but I'm going to invite him to address the question for the minister he's currently representing.

Thank you for that ruling. I hate to disappoint Senator Hume, but, while I have held a few portfolios over the life of the Albanese government, being Minister for Skills and Training is not one of them. I'm sure Senator Hume remembers the time that I spent as the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and our regular discussions about those issues on breakfast TV, where I was able to point out the policies of the Liberal Party when it came to cutting wages and cutting conditions, but I didn't have an opportunity to represent the portfolio of skills and training.

As I say, our government has taken action, cracking down on fraudulent skills. We take all matters of fraud extremely seriously, particularly where it's linked to matters of safety. I'm aware that the Australian Skills Quality Authority is working closely with Victoria Police and WorkSafe Victoria and contributing to Taskforce Hawk. Investigations are ongoing in this matter and, as further updates are able to be provided, we will do so.

Senator Hume, second supplementary?

The Australian Skills Quality Authority was tipped off about fake qualifications in 2023, and yet they were still being offered to big-build contractors as recently as last month. Minister, what action has the government taken to stop fake qualifications reaching federally funded building sites and endangering the safety of workers?

As I said in my previous answer, the Australian Skills Quality Authority is working closely with Victoria Police and WorkSafe Victoria and contributing to Taskforce Hawk. Taskforce Hawk, of course, was established by the Victoria Police to investigate a range of corruption allegations and criminality allegations made against a range of participants in the Victorian construction industry, including some from unions and including some from employers as well. Now, I don't think that Senator Hume would expect me to come into a public place like this and talk about the nature of those allegations or what work ASQA has done in investigating those when they are part of an ongoing investigation, but, as I say, it's our government—the Albanese Labor government—that has actually taken action to crack down on shonky VET providers offering dodgy qualifications. This was allowed to flourish for 10 years under the coalition, and finally we have a government that's taking action.