Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Bradfield asked why we continue to raise this issue of jobs for the new economy as a matter of public importance. Unlike those on that side of the House, we think it is important. We think that preparing our workers and our workforce for the jobs of the new economy is important. We are not going to rest on our laurels as they on the other side have done. We have put out an important policy announcement—there have been a number of policy announcements by the Leader of the Opposition—to highlight how we are going to take steps to prepare our workforce for the jobs of the new economy.

I have to say that, while our policy, I think, is a very sensible and important step forward, we have seen those on the other side just ignore this issue. They were not content in their first budget to rip close to $2 billion out of skills. That is right; believe it: $2 billion out of skills. If that is not abandoning those who are looking to skill themselves up to take on the new jobs of the new economy then I do not know what is. They have ripped money out of universities. They have a plan—and they have not got their plan through yet, because Labor is standing against that plan—to charge exorbitant fees to attend universities. They have a plan to rip money out of universities. And of course we have seen them rip money out of schools. We know that young people need a good education to ensure that they can pursue further education. This side of the House will stand up for a good education. Those on the other side rip money out.

This is what they have already done, but we now know, with the release of their secret plan, that they intend to walk away from all of these areas—walk away from funding our school students, walk away from funding vocational education and walk away from funding preschool. I really wish those on the other side would pay attention to education and the importance of an early education. If they did, they would not be walking away from funding preschool. It really shows, I think, that those on that side of the House have already done enormous damage, but their secret plan will do more damage and will walk away from ensuring that we invest in our most important resource—that is, our human capital. They are ignoring this fact and continue to ignore it.

We heard the Minister for Education and Training today talk about his great digital plan. Of course, he was forced into releasing this because Labor announced a policy. The Leader of the Opposition announced an ambitious policy. What we found out in Senate estimates is that the digital technologies curriculum has been sitting on the desk of the minister for education since November 2013. That is a long time, Minister. If we are talking about coding, as the member for Bradfield is, and talking about how we prepare our young people for the jobs of the new economy, sitting on the digital technologies curriculum for—I think it is—almost two years now is appalling, absolutely appalling. It has taken Labor announcing our policy to force this minister's hand, and, in a lacklustre way, he sneaked it out of his office. This was agreed to by all the state and territory leaders, but once again he has ignored it.

Labor, as I said, have a plan in which we will ensure that we are preparing our workforce for the jobs of the new economy. But that group on the other side has no plan. I would say that the shadow minister for vocational education really highlighted the importance of investing in vocational education. It is not about abandoning the field of vocational education; it is about investment—investment in our people and investment for those jobs that come along.

On National TAFE Day, I would like to wish those on the other side a happy National TAFE Day, but I would like more to ask them to put their money where their mouth is and actually fund vocational education. Bring back the money for the trades training centres in schools because they are doing a great job in our local schools, getting vocational skills in. Bring back the money. Ensure that we are skilling apprentices. Ensure that we are supporting the workforce of the future, not continually trying to dumb down Australians, which is what their plans seem to do time and time again. Please, Member for Bradfield, take notice of this matter of public importance, because it is important, even if you do not think it is.

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