Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the always eloquent Minister for Industry. Will the minister update the House on the measures the government is implementing to enable apprentices in my electorate and across Australia to be supported—tomorrow's plumbers, chippies, sparkies and brickies; all tradies—as they complete their training and commence work?

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the very hardworking member for Reid for his question. It has been a long time since the constituents of Reid have had a representative who works as hard as this one. He is out there, amongst the 12,000 small businesses that he has in his electorate and amongst the workers that he represents in that electorate. And I know that he feels for small business because, unlike those people over there on that side, his family actually run a small business. They know what a business is all about. Of course, that small business is suffering under the weight of the carbon tax, and while those over on that side want to see the average worker in Australia pay a tax on their cold beer, the member for Reid is actually working with this government to make sure that that tax is removed. He knows that small business and businesses in general are the ones who create the jobs for Australians—the ones who get behind the young people of Australia who want to get an apprenticeship, get a skill, get a trade and go out there and contribute to the economy.

This week we have delivered on our promise to help apprentices with their cost-of-living pressures. Can I thank member for Cunningham who—unlike many opposite—has actually demonstrated that where there is good policy, even where it needs a tweak—and she was very consultative in providing that tweak, she and those in the other house will support good policy. And this is good policy: providing apprentices in training with an $8,000-loan, then a further $6,000, a further $4,000 and a further $2,000—interest-free. We are giving people the assistance they need to ensure that they are able to complete their training. We are also giving them an understanding of the responsibility of money, but we are saying this is the most generous way to assist young people in particular but all apprentices and those on the National Skills Needs List in getting their skills.

This is a policy that will deliver outcomes, unlike the previous policy from the Labor Party, which saw the Tools For Your Trade money sprayed out across the community, whether an apprentice needed it or not. This is a well-targeted scheme that will make sure that apprentices have the ability to finish their skills and contribute to the community. This is our government getting on with the job, and this is a policy that will deliver for apprentices.