Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Could I first clarify that my laughter earlier on while the member for Batman was speaking was actually related to his comment about state and federal governments working together. I will note during my speech that the New South Wales government is indeed working against the federal government putting these technical colleges on the ground in Western Sydney. I have fought very hard and will continue to fight hard to ensure that the tech college in Western Sydney is up and running.

I rise today to support the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Amendment Bill 2006. The Australian technical colleges have been given great support from all sectors of the community. The current act needs to be amended so that funding for 2008-09 can be reallocated to 2006-07. The bill will allow a new provision in the current act to enable the minister to redistribute program funds between particular years by regulation instead of by legislative amendment.

Australia has embraced these colleges as they open across the country, which is why there is an increased need for funding for 2006-07. I can assure those opposite that there is no shortfall, as has been suggested by some of their colleagues, and that the money allocated to the Australian technical colleges, totalling $343.6 million, remains. Given that 22 of the 25 Australian technical colleges have already been announced, it is important that this money is moved forward so that these Australian technical colleges can be established sooner rather than later. Australia will have five colleges opening in 2006 and a further 20 colleges are planned for 2007. This is possible because the Australian technical colleges have received widespread community and industry support. As I have mentioned previously, Australia has embraced these colleges, which is why the establishment of the Australian technical colleges is well ahead of plan.

It is a shame that the Labor Party failed to embrace the Australian technical colleges when they were first announced in November 2004. From when they were first announced the opposition have done everything possible to undermine the importance of these Australian technical colleges. Finally, after much opposition, in March 2005 the Leader of the Opposition, with his tail between his legs, told parliament that Labor would be dropping their stance against the Australian technical colleges. I congratulate him on dropping that stance. They obviously realised what the Australian government and the rest of Australia knew—that the Australian technical colleges are a great initiative. Even when the opposition leader gave his party’s support in March 2005, the original Australian technical colleges legislation was delayed in the Senate by the Labor Party until October 2005. Given that funding could not be accessed due to the delay caused by Labor Party senators, it is a great achievement that over half the funding agreements have now been completed.

Not surprisingly, amongst all this the union got on board, trying to blame the federal government for bypassing the TAFE system because, according to Pat Forward, it is ‘unable to establish a positive and productive relationship with the state governments’. It is ironic, considering the above comments from Pat Forward, that all states except New South Wales and Western Australia have signed up and have moved forward with the Australian technical colleges. One of the colleges that is being held up as a result of the New South Wales government is in Western Sydney, where my electorate of Greenway is located. Why is it that every state except New South Wales acknowledges the academic and vocational education that these colleges will provide? These colleges will provide our young people with jobs. They will provide our young people with the opportunity to become the business leaders of Western Sydney. These school based apprenticeships are a way for young people from all over Australia to engage in education and training and employment but with the added element of the business community, who have embraced this initiative.

I have been extremely frustrated with the games being played by the state government. Recently in parliament I asked the Prime Minster what barriers the Australian technical colleges were facing in New South Wales. It appears that these school based apprenticeships are facing opposition due to a union dominated award. This union award is depriving youth from my area of Western Sydney—and youth from other regions of New South Wales, including Dubbo, Queanbeyan and Lismore—of the opportunity to advance in their chosen careers. These union barriers are holding back the training opportunities that our youth and their parents want.

I have spoken to union members who have sons and daughters who would like to go to these Australian technical colleges but cannot because they are being stopped by a union dominated award system. They want their children to consider a career in a traditional trade, where their training is strongly supported by industry and business. This is an opportunity for their children to stay at school, complete their year 12 certificate and undertake a school based apprenticeship. It is about time the New South Wales Premier stepped in and stopped playing politics. When infrastructure, schools and hospitals in New South Wales need a serious cash injection, what does the Premier do? Rather than investing $18 million in these areas, the Premier announced that the government would create state skills colleges in Western Sydney.

I find it amazing that the state government wants to create a trade school which only allows pre-apprenticeship certificate II level—which in school study terms equates to fewer than 40 days a year—when the Australian government has technical colleges ready to commence which offer certificates III and IV trade apprenticeship courses, which equate to 100 days a year and a job. As Gary Hardgrave said, there is nothing revolutionary about throwing $18 million at something that is already in place. Do I smell an election coming? Has the New South Wales government delayed signing off on the Australian technical colleges so that it could announce its own? Is it trying to win the votes of Western Sydney? Surely not!

These Australian technical colleges will enable up to 7,500 students to gain the vital education and experience needed to excel in their chosen trades. We have the opportunity to give our local youth the guidance, education, mentoring and support they need through these colleges. We have the opportunity to fill the gaps in local skills based jobs as well as create the opportunity for many more. Other members of parliament have seen first-hand the benefits of the Australian technical colleges and the benefits they bring to the community, including the member for Petrie, Theresa Gambaro; the member for Braddon, Mark Baker; and the member for Kingston, Kym Richardson. The success of these colleges is why we need to bring the funds forward to support the establishment of colleges over the next two years.

The ability to reallocate funding from 2008-09 to 2006-07 will mean that students will be able, sooner rather than later, to commence the new school based apprenticeships. It will mean that students will be able to continue with their academic study of English, maths, science and technology so that they can gain their year 12 certificate, plus be given the opportunity to be educated in the running of a business, plus business tuition. It will mean that students are able to take part in practical experience in their chosen area of interest as well as be given the opportunity to form a relationship with a potential employer.

The Australian technical colleges are an important part of our nation’s future, the future of our youth and the future of our regions. We have an opportunity to have an Australian technical college in our region which will focus on the needs of Western Sydney. I am proud that in my electorate of Greenway unemployment went down from 4.9 per cent in December to 4.5 per cent in March, compared to 8.6 per cent in March 1996, when Labor was last in government. This unemployment rate is low because the people of Greenway and Western Sydney are hardworking people who want what is best for their families and for the future of their children. Wanting what is best for their children includes wanting the opportunity for their children to choose to attend an Australian technical college, to give them the best start possible.

The opposition can go on about skills shortages but, while they do, the state government of New South Wales continues to put up barriers to the colleges being put in place. I am proud to be part of a government that will spend $10.8 billion over the 2005-08 period on vocational and technical education. We are absolutely committed to the youth of Western Sydney. We are absolutely committed to providing an opportunity and an environment where they can achieve their potential. I am proud to be part of a government that listens to the needs of our youth and the future needs of the nation and acts on them—which is why I am here to support the bill amending the Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005.

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