Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Neglecting vocational training is a betrayal of Australia's young people and our nation's future, and the Liberals and Nationals did exactly that. They undermined the high quality of Australia's TAFE by cutting $3 billion and trying to privatise it by stealth. The Albanese government, though, has unlocked billions of dollars to build Australia's skills and prosperity. We've placed TAFE at the heart of the VET sector, supporting TAFE with baseline funding commitments—and 500,000 fee-free TAFE places, which the students up in the gallery are going to love. After almost a decade of neglect and mismanagement, Australia is again on track to equip young Australians with the skills we need and to provide pathways for all Australians.

We're training Australians for the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. This is the beginning of a future made in Australia. I was able to see this for myself just recently when I visited students at Midland TAFE in my electorate of Hasluck, with the Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles. It's about to get a brand-new renewables trade training centre, where students will work on wind turbines to prepare for the jobs of a clean energy future. They're learning in a world-class training system that lets all Australians access affordable and free skills to propel our workforce, industries and economy forward.

It's a clear choice: a Labor government that delivers on education and skills, or a Liberal-National coalition that only delivers neglect. (Time expired)