Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I say to the Prime Minister as he's leaving the chamber: what about private VET training? Why is he not making private VET training free? If you are that concerned about VET training, make that free as well, Prime Minister. Rather than just choosing free TAFE, make private VET training free as well.

The reality is that I, as one of 151 members in this House, am probably more qualified to talk about TAFE than anyone else here. That's because I've completed four courses through TAFE, from certificate I, certificate II and certificate III to diploma level. I've completed those all through TAFE. I would not suspect any other member to have done so.

I don't support free TAFE. I think it is a bad policy. With the Free TAFE Bill 2024, what we're getting here from the Prime Minister and those opposite is them choosing one sector of VET training—a sector that they think benefits them, because of union membership. That's the reality. As I said before, my experience with TAFE when I first left school was doing a certificate in hospitality and training, back when silver service—

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