Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

In the last six months alone, youth unemployment has dropped in Queensland from 18 per cent to just 9.8 per cent, an incredible drop over that six-month period. This has come about because of the solid economic policies which we've put in place but also the opportunities we've been providing in the education and training space. Mr Speaker, you'd be aware that we provided 30,000 extra university places this year and we dropped the fees on those courses which have more likelihood of leading into a job. That's working, so we've got many more people now enrolling in, say, IT courses, engineering courses, physical science courses, because they're the ones that are most likely going to lead into work. Plus, in the training and apprenticeship space, we've also provided so many more opportunities, as the employment and training minister knows—$500 million to deliver an extra 163,000 training places; the extension of the Transition to Work program; and of course the extra 310,000 apprenticeships which are being supported by this government. So it is jobs, it is education opportunities, it is training opportunities, all for those young people.

I am asked about alternatives. I mentioned that we're supporting 39,000 additional students at university. Those opposite, in their budget reply, in their signature policy, in Bill Shorten's old policy: 2,000.

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