Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is it not a fact that under this Prime Minister’s watch Australia has reduced our public investment in TAFEs and universities by seven per cent—the only advanced economy to do so—while our global competitors have increased their investment by 48 per cent? Is it not also a fact that this year the Howard government is spending even less of the federal budget on vocational education than last year? How is Australia supposed to train the skilled workers we so desperately need if the Prime Minister refuses to make long-term investment in TAFE and trade training? Given that the Prime Minister created this skills crisis, why should Middle Australia believe him when he says that this short-sighted pre-election catch-up will fix it?

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