Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

One of the less-known budget measures that have slipped through without much public attention is cuts, in the education portfolio, to published career resources. I am particularly concerned about the cut to the Job Guide and the fact that it is no longer being printed or on the website, and about myfuture. The Job Guide will be funded up to the 2015 edition, and myfuture will be funded up to December 2014. These job guides are invaluable resources for career and vocational counsellors, both in schools and in TAFE colleges. Back in the Howard government days, Dr Brendan Nelson, as Minister for Education, Science and Training, helped to bring in some really good policy reforms in the career development area.

Whilst on one hand this government say they are about creating jobs and opportunities for young people, they are taking away the tools that will assist in doing that. My question, Minister, is: what is the rationale for this? What are you putting in place to replace these really valuable resources, which I have used in a previous life? And how do you expect to help young people to find work and to undertake appropriate courses of study without having resources available for those people and for counsellors to provide counselling and advice on careers and education?

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