Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How is Albanese Labor government working with the states and territories to ensure Australians have access to the skills they need for the jobs of the future, after a wasted decade?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. After a decade where those opposite neglected and hollowed out Australia's skills sector leaving us with shortages across the country, we've made investing in skills a national priority, making sure that Australians have the skills they need to get good jobs. It's good for Australians, good for the economy and good for our future. Prior to the election we committed to create Jobs and Skills Australia to identify what the jobs of the future would be and make sure Australians were skilled up for them, whether that be through TAFE or university or some other form of training. It's why arising from the Jobs and Skills Summit last year we have now committed to 480,000 fee-free TAFE places. We committed to 180,000 this year, and we have not only met that target but exceeded it substantially, with 214,000 places being taken up already.

We are delivering on the employment white paper by investing in TAFE centres of excellence. These will increase the collaboration between universities and the VET sector and deliver the skills and knowledge our economy requires. We will make sure that we can deliver for the workforce needs of the future in aged care, clean energy, manufacturing and construction. We're improving foundation skills delivery because one in five adults have alarming gaps in literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. We are lifting apprenticeship completion rates and supporting more women, First Nations people and people from a range of backgrounds to access apprenticeships. We're working with the states because we know that, when it comes to TAFE and skills, we have to work with states and territories, and that is precisely what we're doing.

This evening the National Cabinet will meet to progress the next stage in our new National Skills Agreement, something we've been working on over weeks and months and something that, over the past fortnight, I have had one-on-one discussions on with every premier and chief minister across the states and territories. I want to pay tribute as well to the minister, who has done such an extraordinary job in driving this agenda that will hopefully be completed this evening with a forward-looking agenda to take us years ahead. This is an essential component of economic growth and making sure we have an economy that works for people, not the other way around.