Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

No, we need to ensure these people are encouraged to take up vocations like trades because, even if we get the funding, the land release settings and the infrastructure settings right and even if the result is plenty of affordable land ready to build on, there won't be much point if we don't have the tradespeople to build houses. We need incentives for employers and prospective apprentices to encourage an uptake in these vital trade vocations, but the results show, in the past two years, a decline of 11.8 per cent in people taking up apprenticeships, even though demand has never been higher. That is because this government's fee-free TAFE policy has failed, and they have been focused on the wrong priorities, like the failed Voice referendum.

It's time for a change and to get Australia back on track because the Australian people and our future generations deserve it.

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