Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the popularity of the Government's Fee-Free TAFE policy, demonstrated by 500,000 enrolments since its commencement;

(2) recognises that Fee-Free TAFE is:

(a) driving enrolments in sectors with recognised skills shortages and securing a domestic workforce to deliver on current and future priorities;

(b) giving Australians access to the skills they need to ensure they have meaningful, well-paid jobs, and career progression;

(c) helping to ease cost of living pressures to make training a real possibility for half a million Australians; and

(d) assisting the country's response to the biggest skills shortages we have faced in 50 years; and

(3) supports the Government as it continues to invest in the Australian people by rolling out Fee-Free TAFE places in partnership with state and territory governments.

I rise to speak to this excellent motion on the first day of National Skills Week—and what a fantastic week it is. No government has done more to support Australians getting the skills they need than the Albanese Labor government. Over 500,000 people have been supported by fee-free TAFE since the beginning of the program on 1 January 2023; that is an astonishing number. In the first year of fee-free TAFE in 2023, there were over 355,000 students enrolled against a target of 180,000 places. Importantly, fee-free TAFE is supporting disadvantaged and in need Australians, with 35,000 people with disability and over 30,000 First Nations Australians taking up opportunities provided by fee-free TAFE.

In my beautiful electorate of Dunkley, over 2,000 apprentices are currently working towards a nationally recognised qualification because of the program. It's motivating to see Dunkley residents benefiting from the fantastic opportunities that Labor governments provide. Fee-free TAFE has changed the lives of so many, helping address skills shortages and helping students by removing financial barriers. Fee-free TAFE is not wasteful spending, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has described; it's an investment in people and their ability to have a career, and the ability to support people into jobs in building and construction, child care and nursing—areas where we have skills shortages.

Whilst I did not benefit from fee-free TAFE when I was a young woman studying to be a youth worker, TAFE certainly changed my life for the better. After working as a secretary I went to study youth work and community development at what is now Chisholm TAFE, keen to build the skills and knowledge to enable me to have a career supporting young people who are disadvantaged. My experience at TAFE was incredibly empowering. It was the impetus for me realising my capabilities and my passion supporting others to reach their potential. Studying at TAFE was the first of many steps in a love of lifelong learning.

TAFE gave me the confidence to go on and complete other study. I have now completed many other postgraduate qualifications. The last course I completed was a certificate IV in training and education—which enabled me to become a TAFE teacher, supporting others to study youth work and community development. Now, my niece and a close friend are taking up the opportunity fee-free TAFE provides. My niece has just applied for nursing, and Jemma, from Rosie's Cafe, in Frankston South, has just commenced studying a certificate IV in child care at Chisholm TAFE. Jemma said to me just yesterday:

Starting the certificate III in early childhood education has been such a positive experience. It feels good to be pursuing something I am passionate about and that I feel can make a meaningful impact to the future of our society.

Fee free TAFE has helped me begin my journey to a career that I am passionate about, and I look forward with nothing but excitement to the future.

This testimonial says it all, doesn't it? Jemma is just one of the many people who wanted the opportunity to learn and have a career, and needed the financial support to make this a reality. By removing financial barriers to study, fee-free TAFE is giving Australians from all walks of life the opportunity to get a secure, well-paid job with career progression, with training provided in areas of high demand and skills need.

The best part is it is women who make up the majority of enrolments—almost 63 per cent—with over 277,000 women taking on a qualification under this initiative. We know through the work of the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, that the cost to the Australian economy for women being underemployed is $28 billion per annum. Fee-free TAFE is mobilising more women into education, which leads to employment and, for many—like me—a career. Fee-free TAFE is an exceptional policy achieving exceptional outcomes.

See this speech in context