Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in support of this bill, the Free TAFE Bill 2024—legislation that makes free TAFE permanent. It's semester 1 of TAFE in New South Wales, when new TAFE students are starting and returning students are coming back. This legislation will cement 100,000 free TAFE courses every year to give Australians skills and qualifications in aged care, early childhood education, construction and much, much more. When we came to government, Labor introduced free TAFE, given the clear need to rapidly grow our skilled workforce and the challenges facing our economy. This is a new opportunity that Australians have embraced across the country. We have seen a record uptake, with nearly 600,000 enrolments in less than two years, demonstrating the genuine desire of Australians to upskill or reskill, to train and retrain. Free TAFE has opened up new opportunities and pathways for people in my community on the Central Coast of New South Wales who wouldn't have been able to study or train.

Locals have spoken to me at my mobile offices and when I'm out and about in the community about what a difference free TAFE is making to them, to their families and friends and to our community. Tahisha from Blue Haven said:

As a mum of 4, I want to get back to work, but I couldn't afford to pay for a course. Free TAFE has made it possible for me to study a Certificate 4 in Project Management and better myself to return to work.

Lori-Anne from Wongarrah said:

Without Free TAFE I would never have signed up to complete the Certificate 4 in Training & Assessment. I found myself wondering what I could do next and now find myself on a journey I never could have imagined.

These real stories of people like Tahisha and Lori-Anne are what this legislation is about. It's about opening up the doors to opportunity and creating new opportunities and pathways to skills and training and reliable jobs. That's what Labor governments do.

In my electorate, one-third of people hold a TAFE qualification. That is significantly higher than the national average. For people in my community, TAFE has long been a trusted, reliable pathway to gain the skills that they need for a steady job and a good career. My late father, Grant, was a licensed builder and civil structural engineer, and something that he was most proud of was being a TAFE teacher. He dedicated much of his working life to TAFE, to his students and to giving them the skills and opportunities that they needed. He believed that all Australians, especially those in the outer suburbs and the regions, deserved quality skills and affordable training. TAFE offers flexibility—flexibility for parents, young people, working people and carers seeking to start a career, to change career, to upskill, to retrain or to gain qualifications—with four out of five enrolments being part time, offering that flexibility that so many people need to be able to gain the skills they need and the qualifications they need.

Of the 500,000 enrolments since we created free TAFE, almost half of them have been in New South Wales. Over 50,000 enrolments have been in the care sector. My colleague Assistant Minister Ged Kearney has really championed the care economy. Through these free TAFE courses, we've seen a big uptake in people being able to gain the skills they need to work in our care economy and more than 17,000 in the technology and digital sector and 13,000 in early childhood education, upskilling our workforce and providing skills that are really needed in communities like mine and providing essential services that people need, like aged care and early childhood education.

Free TAFE is saving each participant thousands of dollars. That is money that stays in their bank balance. That is money that means that they can afford to be able to study and train, removing cost barriers which have prevented too many people from studying, particularly in my community. I spoke to a woman who is about my age. She was at the TAFE campus at Ourimbah. She was now studying. She wanted to be a travel agent. Her kids are grown, and now, through these free opportunities, it meant that she could back herself. She said, 'If there were a cost involved, I don't know that I could take that sort of risk in exploring a new career or trying over.' The confidence that it gave her because she had that financial support to do it meant that she could now have that career that she always wanted. And she's providing. She's supporting the local economy and jobs in our community.

On the Central Coast of New South Wales, we have three TAFE campuses: one in Gosford in Robertson, one in Ourimbah and a third one in Wyong in my electorate. My brother Eddie is a plumber and a gas fitter, and when he finished school he was able to go to Wyong TAFE to be able to gain his plumbing certification. He's had a really good career as a local business owner, and he's now completing his MBA. These are the kind of pathways that are available to people particularly in the outer suburbs and regions that we are going to really open up and make those opportunities available to so many people in our community.

I want to also acknowledge the work of my state colleague, my good friend David Harris, the member for Wyong and the Minister for the Central Coast. David has been able to secure some additional funding for an expansion of the Wyong TAFE campus because the New South Wales government believes in the value of TAFE. In fact, today, the New South Wales Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education launched the new TAFE NSW Charter, reaffirming its commitment to equip the state with the skilled workforce it urgently needs.

I know that this commitment from New South Wales will make such a difference, because we saw, under the former Liberal government in New South Wales such a neglect of vocational education, and such a neglect of regional campuses. I'm so pleased; this is a complete turnaround. The New South Wales government, the Minns Labor government, is investing strongly in TAFE.

I remember my father, a former TAFE teacher, railing against—I think it was then the Greiner government in the early 1990s—John Kaye introducing fees for TAFE in New South Wales. It's something that the Liberals have always done. They did it in New South Wales in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and they've done it at different times.

As members of the Labor Party, something that we're really proud of is that Labor will always support TAFE. It really concerned me, when we heard the deputy leader of the Liberal Party late last year say, 'If you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' That's what they believe.

I invite the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to come to Bateau Bay and tell a sole parent raising two school-aged children, working full-time and upskilling through a part-time free TAFE course that they don't value that opportunity, and that they don't realise the opportunity that it will create for them and their children, and the contribution that they can make to our local economy. Or I invite her to come Gorokan and tell the school leaver, who has just moved out of home and is trying to make ends meet while undertaking a free TAFE course, that he doesn't value it. Of course he does. A young person in the outer suburbs in regions absolutely knows the value of having skills and qualifications, and of being able to have a quality job, a good career and one that is close to home.

Free TAFE matters, because for people in communities like mine on the Central Coast of New South Wales, without free TAFE they just miss out. They wouldn't have a crack. They wouldn't have that shot at an education that our education minister has worked so hard to create for them and that our minister for TAFE and skills has worked for as well. People would miss out. This is something that, coming into the election this year, is something that is at risk.

The opposition don't value TAFE; they never have. I'm really concerned for people in my community who won't have those opportunities in the future. We saw that, as I mentioned earlier, with the gutting of TAFE in New South Wales, under the former Liberal government, and the lack of investment of the former coalition government at the federal level.

Our Labor government established free TAFE. This legislation makes it permanent, with a hundred thousand places each year. I will always fight for people in my community, I will always stand up for their opportunities, and I will always support free TAFE. I commend bill to the House.

Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to speak on the Free TAFE Bill 2024. As a former TAFE student and teacher, speaking on this topic is very important to me, and is one that I care about deeply. TAFE changed my life for the better, giving me the skills I needed to pursue the jobs and career I wanted.

I entered TAFE in my mid-20s, following a number of years working as a secretary. I'd been working in the disability sector as a volunteer, working with young people. I wanted to pursue a career in youth work and community development. Chisholm TAFE gave me the opportunity to study and learn about youth work and community development in greater detail. TAFE gave me the opportunity to develop skills and confidence, to study as a young woman, and this was before it was even free. It led me to an incredible career that has led me here.

Not to show my age, but it was also just before the Liberals in Victoria gutted our TAFEs during the 1990s. Those opposite, when in government, cut $3 billion of funding from the VET system and TAFE. It's no wonder we have a skills shortage that has fed a crisis in housing and other sectors, such as the childcare education and aged-care sectors.

The Albanese Labor government values TAFE deeply. Unlike the opposition, we are committed to investing in the skills Australia needs to drive economic growth and provide secure and well-paid work for Australia. We need TAFE to help build Australia's future, a future made in Australia.

There can be no doubt that free TAFE has been a huge success. In the first 21 months of free TAFE, there have been over 600,000 enrolments. And, with this bill, free TAFE is here to stay. This legislation will establish free TAFE as an enduring feature of the national vocational education and training system, funding 100,000 free TAFE places a year from 2027. This legislation will provide ongoing certainty to students, employers and industry, as well as states and territories, and an understanding that the Commonwealth government is committed to investing in skills and TAFE. Importantly, free TAFE is supporting Australians who've experienced barriers to education, with 35,000 people with disabilities and over 30,000 First Nations Australians taking up the opportunity to study at TAFE.

Through my past work, heading up the MEGT Foundation and the Women's Spirit Project, I have mentored and coached women, to build their courage and confidence and steer them to set career goals. Their first step on this journey has been returning to education, and TAFE has been the pathway that women from MEGT and the Women's Spirit Project—those recovering from trauma and disadvantage—turn to every time because it helps them build their skills and capacity. It supports them to build their confidence and kickstart their career without struggling financially.

We need a coordinated response to the skills shortages that this country is facing. This bill ensures that free TAFE addresses workforce shortages in industries of local and national priority, helping skill up workers Australia needs for a strong economic future and a secure and sovereign future.

As everyone knows, we have a housing crisis in this country, a result of the opposition not taking action on this issue during the 10 years they were in government. The Albanese Labor government has a minister for housing and has injected $32 billion into building housing supply across the nation, the greatest investment in housing by any federal government. Central to meeting the housing crisis is having enough tradies and apprentices to build the homes that we need. Thanks to the work of the Minister for Education, we recently announced that apprentices in the construction industry—those training to be builders, electricians and plumbers—will receive a $10,000 incentive to support them to complete their apprenticeships, an innovative investment aimed at making a difference for individuals, industry and our future made in Australia.

Late last year, I had the dedicated and passionate Minister for Skills and Training in my electorate, and we visited the Chisholm TAFE. We spoke to many different students, studying everything from nursing to mental health, youth work and community services. They all spoke of how free TAFE has quite literally changed their lives by removing the financial barrier to reskilling.

In my beautiful electorate of Dunkley, over 2,000 apprentices are currently working towards a nationally accredited qualification because of free TAFE. I regularly speak to people from Dunkley, either at their door or on the phone, who want to reskill or upskill. A young person who is unsure of their future—I hear about their concerns about what to do now that they have finished VCE. I share a little of my journey with TAFE, and I talk to them about looking at TAFE courses, because TAFE is a legitimate and important pathway for young people, for women and for men wanting to reskill and upskill.

It's motivating to see how many residents are benefiting from the fantastic opportunities that this Labor government has provided. I know at least five people from my family and friendship group benefiting from free TAFE. They are studying nursing, childcare, electrical and IT courses, and the list goes on. I love catching up and hearing their enthusiasm as they talk to me about completing a subject or their course. They have a real sense of purpose that they are working towards a career and that they can afford to.

Contrary to what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has stated—the Liberal spin—free TAFE is not undervalued just because it's free. It is, in fact, valued because it is an investment in people and their ability to have a career in the field they choose. It's also an investment in the future prosperity of Australia, a future made in Australia. I hear a lot in my local community that free TAFE is literally changing lives. That's because many in my community who may not be well-off financially or may not have done as well as they would have liked in school get the opportunity to chase their dreams with no financial barrier. Workforce shortages in critical areas shouldn't just be acknowledged; they should be acted upon. The government has a duty to act to fill the shortages, and that's exactly what the free TAFE will act to do.

This government has acted in the best interests of the country, industry and, most importantly, people wanting a career. We are working to train people in construction so we can build more homes and to train more people in nursing and childcare professions so that we have the nurses that we need in hospitals, aged-care workers and childcare educators to educate and care for our children. There is a huge risk if the Leader of the Opposition gets his hands on TAFE. The opposition has refused to back our additional free TAFE and VET places for construction, our new energy apprenticeships and the financial supports and incentives to prioritise apprentices and employers.

Last time they were in government, we saw their efforts to dismantle our TAFE and VET system. They cut $3 billion of funding from the VET system and TAFE last time they were in government. We cannot risk those opposite limiting access to vocational education and cutting off pathways for workers in essential and critical industries. We would have further cuts to vocational education if they were in government, blocking many Australians from reaching their full potential and having access to qualifications they need. This would only further exacerbate the critical skill shortages in Australia, meaning projects in housing, infrastructure and energy would be further delayed. This is not in the economic interest of our nation nor in our national interest. The Liberals don't respect our public TAFEs. They don't understand or value the importance of TAFEs in our local communities. They have shown they'll go for cheap and fast-tracked training over a well-supported and trusted VET sector with TAFE at the heart.

There is a clear choice at this election. The opposition, the Liberal and National parties, will cut free TAFE funding, and all Australians will pay more for TAFE. This government is opening doors for people with TAFE so that they can get well-paid, secure work and build their future. Under the Albanese government, free TAFE is here to stay to help build Australia's future—a future made in Australia.

Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm very pleased to be speaking on the Free TAFE Bill 2024 today. I'm especially pleased to be speaking on it today, of all days, because today in New South Wales—my state—it's the start of semester 1 2025. It is a day to be celebrating TAFE and all that it provides and also to be speaking on this really important bill in terms of how committed the Albanese Labor government is to providing fee-free TAFE and of the difference that it's making in the lives of so many Australians.

The Free TAFE Bill 2024 provides ongoing financial support to the states and territories for the delivery of fee-free TAFE places and ensures that it's in place and supports the delivery of at least 100,000 places across Australia each year from 2027. What it does is reaffirm our government's commitment to putting TAFE right at the heart of vocational education and training. We understand how important that is. This also removes those financial barriers to education and training, particularly for those people experiencing economic disadvantage. Very especially, it supports education and training in areas of high workforce demand with emerging skill needs that really are a national priority.

I add that across the nation this is a game changer, especially in regional and rural areas like my electorate of Richmond on the New South Wales North Coast. Having such a policy in place has made such a difference. There are approximately 5,000 people who have had access to fee-free TAFE since this was brought in. I have met many of those students, and they have talked about how it has been life changing. They couldn't afford to go to TAFE without this in place and they are getting the necessary skills to work in much-needed sectors. Often in regional and rural areas there are impediments to gaining access to further training, and that's exactly why we have this in place: so people can get access. In my region we also have a series of outstanding TAFE facilities—indeed, as they are right across the country—and I visited many of those. We've particularly got ones at Kingscliff, Byron, Ballina and Murwillumbah. They're very new ones, particularly in Byron Bay.

It's great having them there, speaking to all of those students and hearing what a difference it makes in their lives. It shows how important it is to have a Labor government in place delivering all of these important changes. Labor has always committed to investing in the skills that our nation needs to drive economic growth. It's vitally important. We're also committed to making sure no-one is left behind and nobody is held back as our economy transitions. Indeed, fee-free TAFE has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians, providing cost-of-living relief and a pathway to well-paid and secure employment. In fact, in the first 18 months of fee-free TAFE, as we heard the minister say today, there have been nearly 600,000 enrolments. That's a huge number across the nation. This bill establishes ongoing relief by removing financial barriers to education and training, and it really also ensures that fee-free TAFE continues to deliver a coordinated response to the pipeline of skilled workers that our nation needs now and into the future.

We have a responsibility to help people here and now when it comes to training and we do owe a duty to the next generation to build an economy. That really does start with education for all—every Australian, no matter where they live, their background or their financial situation. They should be able to access education. We believe in equal opportunity. By making TAFE free, we're removing that financial barrier. The fact is that our whole nation benefits in terms of economic growth as well as the individual's capacity to get secure employment.

The cost of inaction, of course, is so much higher. Failing to invest in up skilling our people will leave so many industries and businesses stranded and leave so many people out of fulfilling their full potential as well. We are, across so many levels, committed to delivering on skills development. The fact is that TAFE is at the heart of vocational education and training and you can't have a strong VET sector without strong public TAFE at its heart. TAFEs are very valued and trusted public institutions and have a long history of delivering training in the public interest and working to meet so many goals that our nation needs. I visit some of the TAFEs in my community, and of course they're in every community across the country. Every Australian deserves to access them.

In fact, a Labor government will never ever consider fee-free TAFE wasteful spending, as we heard from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. It really says it all about the Liberals' and Nationals' approach to public education or, indeed, any great services—in this case, public education. They don't understand it, don't value it, don't care about it and don't invest in it. We certainly do. We understand its worth. Of course, our government, by making all these strong commitments, is reversing a lot of the damage that we saw from the previous Liberal-National government—the damage over a decade. We are rebuilding TAFEs for communities across the nation. We made the landmark $30 billion, five-year National Skills Agreement and we're taking other actions, such as going after dodgy providers so that quality providers can in fact do their work properly.

As we've pointed out many times in this House, the risk of the opposition leader and the Liberals and Nationals getting into government is that people will be worse off, and one of the ways in which they'll be worse off is through the inevitable cuts we will see, yet again, to TAFE. Whenever those opposite are in government one of the first things they do is slash all of the funding for TAFE and VET training. We know that will happen again. We know they're claiming they'll be making $350 billion in cuts across the board. Whether they be to Medicare, to the age pension or to TAFE training, they will be catastrophic for our nation. Of course, the opposition leader told us the other day, in an interview, that they're not going to announce any of these cuts till after the election, but Australians know that they will be so much worse off and just cannot risk a Liberal-National government. When those opposite have been in government, we have, at every turn, fought their harsh cuts to TAFE. And when we have been in government we have invested record amounts to make sure that people can access all of these important services.

I know from meeting young people who are training at TAFE or older people going back to reskill that it is life-changing for them. Today was the start of semester 1, 2025, and in my electorate of Richmond on the New South Wales North Coast we were very pleased to have the New South Wales Minister for Skills TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there this time. Minister Whan has been up to the North Coast many times. I've visited a number of TAFEs with him, and I know that he and the Minns state Labor government are equally committed to ensuring provisions are made for our TAFE. In fact, Minister Whan was there today announcing the introduction of the new TAFE NSW Charter, which is a great idea. It lets the people of New South Wales know what they should expect from TAFE as the provider at the heart of vocational training. The charter reflects TAFE NSW as an important public asset, a community space, an industry partner and a leader of educational quality and innovation within the broader VET sector. I congratulate the New South Wales government on making that announcement today and on making it in my electorate, which I was very pleased about. I thank the minister for making the announcement there. In fact, he made it at TAFE in Kingscliff, which an outstanding institution. There is a $33 million government investment to upgrade that particular facility. They also have one of the TAFE call centres there, so it is a huge institution providing a whole range of really good services. That $33 million investment includes a new learning space for health services students, which is important as well.

There are a whole range of initiatives that our government has when it comes to training and supporting younger Australians, particularly when we look at higher education contributions. Last year in this House we passed legislation to wipe $3 billion of student debt for three million Australians. I know so many people locally who've had cuts to the HECS debt, and it has made a huge difference. Of course, that's part of our broader cost-of-living relief measures. We know people are doing it tough and we know many people with these HECS debts are doing it tough. Many people have received the good news that the legislation we passed last year fixed the way indexation of student debt was calculated, and many people have had that cut to their debt as well.

We announced last year as well that a re-elected Albanese government would wipe 20 per cent off student loans, and at the same time we announced we'd make fee-free TAFE permanent. Having 20 per cent off their HECS debts will be a huge benefit to so many students right across the nation, particularly those in regional and rural areas. We are committed to doing that if we are re-elected. Again, I present the alternative. The Liberals and Nationals didn't support any of that. They don't support any of our cost-of-living measures. On top of all that, they'll be cutting many important training initiatives as well.

So we have announced a whole range of measures, including also the $10,000 for apprentices. Right across the board we're investing in training, and we're assisting students with their HECS debts as well, because we really value education. It's why we have this in place and why we made those commitments leading up to the election. Of course, they are all part of a broader suite of measures that we have worked on and delivered when it comes to cost-of-living relief. We understand that people are doing it tough. It is hard, and that's why we've had all of these measures in place.

I will point out that every single one of those measures was opposed by the Liberals and Nationals, and they have to go and explain to people in their communities why they opposed a tax cut for every taxpayer. In my region there were 71,000 people who benefited from that. It's vitally important. We also had the $300 energy bill relief. It's so important for people to have that energy bill relief, and of course it was opposed by those opposite. We also have cheaper childcare and cheaper medicines that are helping people every day. And there's fee-free TAFE, which is absolutely vital. All of those measures mean that we're helping Australians right now. We understand they're doing it tough.

We've seen the increase in wages, and we committed to and delivered that increase in wages particularly for our aged-care and childcare workers, who are so valued. Again, that was all opposed by those opposite. All of those cost-of-living measures were opposed, and we often say to people that that's the risk the Liberals and Nationals pose. It's a fact that people would be a lot worse off if the coalition were to ever be in government, and that's just from looking at their record of opposing vital cost-of-living relief, whereas we on the Labor side are absolutely committed to making sure that's in place.

In this bill, it all revolves around fee-free TAFE and the difference that it makes. The take-up rate of that has been absolutely phenomenal, and the number is 5,000 people in my electorate, which is absolutely huge. There would not be anyone who isn't aware or touched by this, whether it be the student, their families or their friends. People often talk about how being able to access fee-free TAFE has transformed someone's life, and making sure that people can access that is one of our core election commitments. Also, the 20 per cent cut to HECS debts is really important as well.

We're very proud to yet again be investing in education, training and skills. As much as that is life changing for individuals, their families and communities, in terms of our nation's economic prosperity we desperately need to have all these workers. It is a win-win all round. It's only Labor governments that continue to invest in building the training and skills for workers now and into the future whilst also ensuring that our economy has an incredible skilled workforce to meet the demands now and into the future. It is only Labor that consistently delivers increases in training and education right across the board. I very proudly commend this bill to the House.

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the Free TAFE Bill 2024, which is an incredibly important piece of reform. It will embed free TAFE as a fixture of our national vocational education system.

I know it's important because my husband, my brother, my sister, my dad and my mum all went to TAFE. You could say that that probably makes me the odd one out, but it also means that I know firsthand the huge role that TAFE institutes play in unlocking opportunities and equipping people with skills that they need to get ahead. Thanks to TAFE, my husband is a fully licensed plumber and gas fitter, which has allowed us to run our own small business on the South Coast. Thanks to TAFE, my brother is a qualified chef who's worked in New South Wales, Queensland and the UK in a career that he loved, before moving into food wholesaling. Thanks to TAFE, my mum was able to retrain in her 50s to become an aged-care diversional therapy worker, a job that she says was the best she ever had. This is just my family, but there are so many stories just like this right across Australia.

Free TAFE, which has already supported over 568,000 enrolments in the past two years, has had a huge impact in our communities, particularly across our regions, which represent one in three of those places. This bill will support the continual delivery of 100,000 fee-free TAFE places across Australia each year, removing barriers so that more people can gain skills in their own backyard.

I'm incredibly proud to be able to stand here today to support this, because it's one of the many ways that the Albanese Labor government is helping people to build their future. Free TAFE will give Australians the confidence to pursue their dreams, to up-skill without the extra pressure that paying courses can sometimes bring. It will mean we have more nurses in our hospitals, more aged-care workers looking after our loved ones and more tourism and hospitality professionals—sectors which are critical to strong local economies. We'll also support building the pipeline of skilled workers Australia needs to remain competitive on the global stage, ensuring that we continue to grow our local industries and strengthen our national economy.

This bill ensures that free TAFE places target industries experiencing current and projected workforce shortfalls. Jobs in construction, the care economy, manufacturing and industry are undergoing a net zero transition. This is important, because, when we came to government, 2½ years ago, we were faced with the biggest skills shortage Australia had seen in more than 50 years—a direct result of the former coalition government ripping $3 billion from TAFE and training and something that the Leader of the Opposition would have no hesitation in doing again if given half the chance. Let's face it: those opposite have form on this. They turned their back on aged care, they barely put a cent towards housing and they promised hundreds of projects without budgeting for them and without investing in the workforce needed to get those projects done. By standing in the way of free TAFE, again those opposite are still at odds with what our communities want.

It was not long ago that the deputy leader of the Liberals said, 'If you don't pay for it, you don't value it.' Tell this to the apprentice chef that said, 'I'm going to school to get a better job so we can have a better life,' or to the sparky that said, 'I like pulling things apart and putting them back together, so I'm going to go and do that for the rest of my life,' or to the student nurse that said, 'It gives a lot of young people and older people an opportunity,' or to the nurses that have saved over $17,000, the electricians that have saved over $12,000 and the carpenters that have saved nearly $3,000. Those numbers speak for themselves, but all we've seen from those opposite is non-stop nonsense on this.

This is cost-of-living relief that's making a real difference for 568,000 people across the country—something that those opposite voted against. When it comes to workers, all we've heard from the opposition is, well, nothing. They've confused signature dish with signature policy. Taxpayers having to foot the bill for long lunches is all they've got.

We on this side of the chamber know how important the VET system is for Australians and for Australia's future. We know that this bill will work because free TAFE has already changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians, including over 127,000 people across the regions. This includes in my own electorate of Eden-Monaro, where we've got TAFE campuses in Bega, Cooma, Goulburn, Jindabyne, Queanbeyan, Tumut and Yass, not to mention the Canberra Institute of Technology and Moruya TAFE, which are used by many of my constituents as well. Free TAFE has supported people to build skills in their own backyard so that they can continue to work locally. We have so many industries across the mighty Eden-Monaro that require TAFE qualifications, from agriculture and tourism to Snowy 2.0 and many of our small businesses.

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Queanbeyan TAFE with the state member for Monaro, who is the New South Wales minister for skills, training and education. We were speaking with bricklaying apprentices. They told me that there was nothing worse than being cooped up in an office building all day. It wasn't their style. They wanted to develop hands-on skills and give back to their community in really practical ways, which is exactly what they're doing. There's nothing wrong with wanting to go to uni, but it's not for everyone, which is why being able to access a range of vocational courses in our regions is so important. With over 110,000 free TAFE courses already completed to date, this program has made that possible. That is a really positive completion rate getting more workers into our communities where we need them most.

It's one of the many ways since coming to government that we've made our education system fairer and more accessible for every Australian, regardless of their postcode. We've wiped $3 billion in student debt and will cut a further 20 per cent from all student loans if re-elected. We will also lift repayment thresholds, keeping more money in people's hip pocket, providing important cost-of-living relief. We've signed a landmark $30 billion five-year national skills agreement with all states and territories. This puts TAFE at the centre of skills and training. We're building a national network of TAFE centres of excellence, and we're uncapping satellite broadband to help regional and remote students better access education. We're supporting teaching, nursing and social work students with the cost of mandatory prac placements, with $319.50 per week to help out. We're investing $66.9 million to double the number of university study hubs across the country, including 20 across regional communities. Just the other week, the Prime Minister announced that, from 1 July, apprentices working in the housing construction sector will receive $10,000 in incentive payments on top of their wages over the lifetime of their training.

Under those opposite, courses are cut, costs go up and completion rates go down. They put barriers in place, making a uni or TAFE qualification unattainable. We need this to change. I know it too firsthand, because we've had over 10 apprentices in our local business, and, unfortunately, over the lifetime of the former coalition government, they cut completion incentives for apprentices, and we've seen the number of apprentice completions go down because of it. The Albanese Labor government is building Australia's future, and that starts with investing in people. We're supporting people to train at home so they can continue to work locally, because you shouldn't have to pack your bags to build a career, and that is something that I think everyone should get behind in this chamber. I commend the bill.

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely, completely agree with the sentiment of the last speaker that we shouldn't have to travel to get education. Before I go into the reasons why we're not supporting the 'Free/Not Free TAFE Bill', I'd like to tell you about a business called Faircloth & Reynolds in Coffs Harbour. It was started 40 years ago by Peter Faircloth and David Reynolds. They are a family owned business specialising in refrigeration, air-conditioning and catering along the north-east of New South Wales. They employ about 300 people. In 2023, they committed to training 50 apprentices, and every year they put on at least 15 to 20 apprentices. Just after COVID-19, they came and saw me about the problems that they were having with TAFE NSW. Because they had had a relationship and because they're such a good family owned country, regional and rural business, they continued to try and work through the problems with TAFE NSW. They couldn't get their apprentices into the courses in Coffs Harbour, so what they did was build a purpose built room onto their factory to train their apprentices and bring in a TAFE teacher. They spent a lot of money doing that. This year—remember, we're going through a cost-of-living crisis at the moment; the cost of material has gone through the roof, but they're doing the right thing and trying to keep their apprentices on—they've been told by TAFE NSW that, unless they can have a minimum of 15 apprentices, then they will have to cover the cost, the business will have to cover the cost, of the TAFE training. That is not free TAFE; that is costing a business who gives so much back to the community of Coffs Harbour an ultimatum that 'if you don't pay for it, you don't get it'. Therefore, all these young would-be apprentices won't get their apprenticeships.

What's the solution? I'll tell you, Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough. The solution from TAFE NSW was for those young apprentices to travel the 153 kilometres to Port Macquarie a couple of times a week. Or if there's no availability there, you can go 85 kilometres up the road to Grafton, but that's full. Finally, if you want an apprenticeship, you can travel the 385 kilometres down to Newcastle. That is not free TAFE. It puts barriers to actually getting a trade in front of these young men and women.

I wrote to the state minister, the Hon. Steven Whan, on 4 December and expressed my concern and, to his credit, he wrote back to me on 19 December suggesting a certain course, which, unfortunately, involves a lot of travel and no solution. As I just said, I wrote to that minister. I also wrote to the Hon. Jason Clare MP on 4 December. Today is 4 February. Do you think I've had a response, Deputy Speaker? No. I haven't had a response. That's how much this minister cares about young apprentices, or potential young apprentices, in the region.

Maybe the Free—not free—TAFE Bill only relates to metropolitan areas, but the fact is that, despite the disregard for local, regional and rural businesses such as Faircloth & Reynolds, this bill is atrocious. This bill has not been costed. If it goes ahead in perpetuity, it will cost the taxpayer half a billion dollars ongoing. That's not free TAFE. Sure, some TAFE students—not all TAFE students—might get free TAFE, but the taxpayer doesn't get free TAFE. Then, according to the minister's speech, not all courses will be covered. There's a little asterisk down the bottom where it says that, actually, it's not all TAFE that's free; it's just some courses, not all courses. So it's inequitable. It's not fair to some students when compared to other students.

The fact is that, despite spending $1.5 billion on free TAFE, we have over 80,000 fewer apprentices and trainees today than when Labor took office, and we have a graduation rate of about 13 per cent. Australians need to ask themselves who they trust on training: Labor, or Master Builders Australia and the Housing Industry Association, because they don't agree with the bill. Don't take it from me. I'm an ex-copper, ex-defence lawyer and hack politician, but the real experts out there are saying that this is a bad bill.

There are 34,685 fewer women apprentices and trainees in training, nearly halving all starts previously for women in skills. From June 2022 to June 2023 skills shortages increased by 12.5 per cent. The latest data indicates that 33 per cent of all occupations are in shortage, which is higher than under the coalition. No wonder we have a housing shortage. I note that the Prime Minister came out recently and said, 'I'm going to give apprenticeship tradies $10,000 to continue or to start their trade'—there's a little asterisk; go to the bottom of the page—'if they don't live at home.' I have a 17-year-old son who's in year 12 at a technical college. When he heard that, he said, 'I don't know any apprentices who don't live at home because they can't afford it.'

Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's all spin.

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a great interjection or comment from behind. It is all spin, with no substance. Like we did under the coalition, we need to incentivise the employers. We had a policy where we paid 50 per cent in the first year. Do you know why? With no disrespect to our young tradies, it's because you're absolutely useless in your first year. You're not allowed to do anything under workplace and safety laws. You can't go and run a line as an apprentice electrician unless your boss is standing next to you. The best you can do is drive down to Bunnings and get black-and-white chequered paint or a left-handed screwdriver. That's why we subsidised 50 per cent in the first year. In the second year you can do things, and that amount dropped down to 10 per cent. In the third year that amount dropped down to 5 per cent. It was real. It incentivised employers to bring apprentices on.

Now, in the years that Labor has taken over, you have seen apprenticeships plummet—go through the floor. Why? It's because of policy like this, because of bills with no substance and because tradies are afraid. They're afraid to take on new apprentices, because it's going to cost them money. They're afraid because of the economic environment right now, where people are watching their money if they have it, or where they don't have money, and, therefore, the tradies aren't getting as much work.

We need to bring common sense back into policy like this—commonsense policy like we had under the coalition. This is a mess. It's no wonder the industry bodies are saying, 'We can't support this; it is a mess.' If the industry bodies don't support this, then we don't support it.

Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a real shame to hear things going on the Hansard record that are not true, as the previous speaker just did. I want to make it really clear that our new initiative, which is the Key Apprenticeship Program, will deliver $10,000 in instalment payments to trainees in housing, construction or clean energy, including bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and joiners.

In addition—that means as well as—we will also increase the allowance paid to apprentices living away from home. It is very disappointing to hear those opposite claiming things that are untrue when they have left this system crumbling. Everything that we are doing around apprentices—apprenticeships and supporting both them and their employers—is to try and get that pipeline back and happening. That is what the Free TAFE Bill 2024 does. It increases that pipeline by saying to young people: 'We're not going to hit you with a huge debt on the work that you're doing. We're not going to hit your employer. You are going to have access to free TAFE courses.' I saw this in action late last year when the Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles, joined me at Richmond TAFE. Richmond TAFE offers a whole range of fee-free courses. We took a look at many of them: animal studies, companion animals, agribusinesses, arboriculture, certificate III in horticulture and certificate III in landscape construction. Those are just some of the fee-free courses that are available in my electorate of Macquarie specifically at the Richmond campus. These are really important for my region, which is semi-agricultural right through to really dedicated rural communities. There are also urban communities with lots of horticultural and construction workers where we really want to incentivise these kids. I want to see the students at Bede Polding, Richmond, Colo, Windsor and Hawkesbury high schools really reach out and say, 'I'm going to do a trade.' We're making it easy for them.

I was really grateful to have the opportunity to talk to some of the head teachers at the Richmond TAFE about the benefits that they are seeing from the existing fee-free courses. Kate MacDonald, who is the head teacher of animal care, has been there for nearly a decade. Steve Rixon is one of the head teachers. And Leo was put on the roster. He has been at TAFE for decades and was there over Christmas to look after the animals we got to see.

I spoke with students like Fiona, Bridget, Caitlin and Amanda. Amanda, along with her family, runs the very proud Bowen Mountain Limestone Cottage goat breeding business. I first met her when she was selling the produce that they make at one of the markets, and there she was when I turned up at TAFE. She just thought: 'I'm going to learn more about it. I'm going to take up one of these TAFE courses.' They are animal lovers and really having a crack at the whole urban hobby minifarm journey.

I also talked to people like Caitlin. Caitlin is 21-year-old from Leonay, down right in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, and she was studying certificate III in nursery operations. She's actually one of those people who adores growing things—just loves her plants. She probably loves them more that she does some people! You can understand that when you've got green fingers. I know I get a lot out of being in my garden in the moments that I get. You can see the opportunity that's being created for Caitlin and her fellow students. I really want to pay tribute to the work that Richmond TAFE is doing. It isn't every day that I get to hang out with cows and talk to students about fertiliser and how much they love having green thumbs.

This is the stuff that goes on in our TAFE every single day—the beautiful displays that they do. These are courses that can change people's lives, and that's not me saying that; that's what the students tell me about how it transforms their future. It is one of the most beautiful things to do. For those opposite who haven't been to a TAFE, who haven't taken advantage of the incredible educators who are in their community, I really encourage you to go and speak to them face to face about what free TAFE is doing and why this bill is so important to ensuring that that is carried forward for the next generation of students.

By removing the financial barriers, free TAFE is a cost-of-living relief measure. It's actually making it affordable for people to pursue their dreams and it's saving Australians thousands of dollars. Whether it is nursing, where you're talking about a large fee that would otherwise be levied—it could be up to $17,000 or $18,000, depending on what they're doing. Whether it's early childhood education—and I have certainly been to many early childhood education centres and talked to the young people who are doing their courses now for free. Throughout the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury, there are people whose lives are just a bit easier because they're not incurring a debt or having to pay out. That can be a saving of up to $5,000; it varies from state to state given how TAFE operates. Another example in New South Wales is that students who are doing a Certificate III in School Based Education Support can save nearly $2,000. All of these things make a tangible difference. That's what we're doing; we are making a practical difference in people's lives. And, what's more, we're setting them up for an incredible future.

Here's just a cross-section, a bit of a snapshot, of the demographics, the data that shows who has taken up these free TAFE courses. Here are some numbers from January 2023 to September last year. There were 354,000 women, and we don't know how many of them would not have had the capacity to go to TAFE without this option. There were 197,000 regional and remote students. There were nearly 192,000 people aged 24 and under. There were almost 140,000 jobseekers. There were 124,600 people who speak a language other than English at home. There were 44,400 people with a disability who took the opportunity to upgrade their skills through TAFE. And there were 34,000 First Nations people. Every one of those students has something now that they didn't have before this was made available to them, and it's vital that it stays part of the offering going forward.

Recent research from Jobs and Skills Australia found that students who complete a vocational education and training course are more likely to be employed and earn more in the year following their graduation than people who don't. The report found that graduates have a median income increase of about $11,800 in the year following the completion of their courses. The same report found that 84 per cent of VET graduates are employed after completing their qualification—that's a 15 per cent increase from before enrolment. So, again, the data tells us that this works and shows how important it is.

We are committed to investing in the skills we need because we want to drive economic growth. These are the skills that we were short of when those opposite left office. There'd been no investment, no commitment to it, at a federal level and, often, at a state level. What this bill does is ensure that free TAFE continues to deliver a really coordinated response to workforce shortages in the industries that are a local priority, like in my area, and those that are a national priority so that we're building that pipeline of skilled workers that we need now and into the future. It is disappointing that those opposite simply don't share the values that we have about TAFE. You can hear, every time one of the opposition speaks, that they have no interest in supporting this. They describe free TAFE as 'wasteful spending'; they say investing in people who want to be better skilled is wasteful. No wonder they were such a mess in government, if that's their definition of wasteful. They've got their priorities completely wrong. When talking about the Free TAFE Bill in this place, right here, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition said:

… it's a key principle and tenet of the Liberal Party: if you don't pay for something, you don't value it.

Well, what a way to maintain the status quo—to exclude people from the opportunity to improve their lives and to have aspirations. That is exactly why those opposite are failing our young people by not supporting free TAFE. And it isn't just young people who take this opportunity. It is people who may have dealt with all sorts of things in their lives and now have a little window of opportunity, yet those opposite want to slam that window shut. It's not just free TAFE that the Liberal Party don't value, and we know that. We'll just add it to the list. Things like public education, Medicare, the NDIS and public hospitals, we know, are what they call wasteful spending. That's all the stuff that they want to cut to fund their long lunches and their nuclear extravaganza.

It is really disappointing that they can't come and find common ground with us on supporting people who want to do better for themselves, who want to study hard and work hard and be rewarded for that. The Liberals have essentially all but confirmed that they plan to cut funding for free TAFE, with the Liberal shadow assistant minister for education at the Free TAFE Bill Senate inquiry asking the South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, 'Would the South Australian government continue to fund fee-free TAFE if the Commonwealth was to reduce its funding?' You only ask that sort of hypothetical if that's what you're thinking of doing.

Labor has a completely different view. We want to open doors through TAFE for people across Australia who are looking to gain well-paid and secure work. We want to deliver not only the training that Australians want and the skills that they need to get ahead but also the skills that we as a nation need. We're providing cost-of-living support for more Australians to access high-quality, affordable training through our TAFE system so that they get secure jobs. Then we want to see them keep more of what they earn.

We're delivering the skills and training needed to grow our economy, building the homes we need, creating a future made in Australia and ensuring all Australians can get quality care when they need it. With high-quality skills and training, we're the ones building a better Australia. Nine in 10 new jobs over the next 10 years will need post-school study, and half of those jobs will need vocational education and training. A reliable and trusted vocational education and training sector is critical for our economy, and that's what we're building.

It means people can help create and share in our national prosperity. I see that firsthand, whether it's at my Katoomba TAFE, my Wentworth Falls TAFE or my Richmond TAFE. There are dedicated teachers and educators there. There are enthusiastic students who are leaping at the opportunity. We want to make sure that those opportunities are kept in the future for those areas where we have critical skills shortages and where we know we will have skills shortages in the future unless we move people in. That is where free TAFE comes in. I commend this bill to the House.

Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to the debate on the Free TAFE Bill 2024. As I'm a product of TAFE, this bill is very close to my heart. It is a bill that will make a massive, real-world difference to the lives of countless people in my electorate, because the Hunter has been built upon and by a hardworking, skilled workforce, and, to this day, most of our young people build their lives using skills they learnt at TAFE.

TAFE is one of the pillars that literally helps to build this country, and that's why it should be one of the highest priorities for any government. If TAFE is strong, our country is strong. As one of the only people in this place who have a trade and as someone who left school at the age of 15, went to TAFE, gained skills in an area that I enjoyed and built a career and a life with those skills, I feel I am in a better position than most others to talk about how important TAFE is.

That's why I'm proud that this government is committed to building up TAFE, instead of tearing TAFE and skills in this country to the ground, like those opposite have done before us. Make no mistake—if they form government after the election this year, the only attention they'll give to TAFE is by tearing it down. You could put your last dollar on that. Maybe it's just something about the idea of not sitting in a comfortable chair in an air-conditioned office that doesn't sit right with them, or maybe it's just that they don't respect Australians who like to get their hands dirty for a living. Let me tell them one thing: it is these hardworking skilled Australians who our country relies on. It is these Australians who go through our TAFE system—who work in our mines, producing the coal, iron ore and other critical minerals—that lead to budget surpluses. It is these Australians who fix our cars when they break down, who build our houses that our growing nation needs so desperately and who keep our lights on at night. It is these Australians who look after our little ones in child care so parents can go back to work. People should be encouraged to do these important jobs. If this is the path that someone wants to go down, it should be accessible and affordable. There should be no barriers, such as limited availability or excessive fees, holding them back from attaining qualifications they need to pursue the job of their dreams.

I know that it may come as a shock to those opposite, who haven't really got their hands dirty since playing in the playground in primary school, but sometimes school isn't for everyone. Sometimes a person thrives when working with their hands and not by sitting in a classroom. While sometimes your attitude towards TAFE makes it appear as though you look down on these people, I'd like to see you out there doing the job that they do. We already know that the former member for Cook certainly can't weld. Let's see if the Leader of the Opposition can do any better. I want to thank the hardworking TAFE teachers and staff. They give our young people the skills they need for today's jobs, and that's what makes our country strong. TAFE sets you up for life and opens doors for your future. By making TAFE fee free, we're giving people a door that they are able to open.

This is the reality that our fee-free TAFE has already provided for over 508,000 Australians who are currently enrolled in one of these fee-free courses. Those are 508,000 Australians on their way to a secure job. This means that you could be an early childhood educator, a chippie, a lecco, a fitter, a cyber expert and so much more, and you can do it without paying any course fees—without hitting your back pocket and without having to sacrifice some other part of your life to get the skills you need to move forward. Right now, there are almost 35,000 fee-free TAFE students studying construction, which is helping to tackle the acute skills shortage we found when we came to government. There are over 35,000 fee-free TAFE students studying early childhood education, which means there will be more childcare workers with the skills that they need in the sector that our economy needs. There are over 131,000 fee-free TAFE students studying nursing, aged care and personal care. There is an historic number of people enrolling in nursing, aged care and disability support, with a huge 7.8 per cent increase in enrolments, a massive increase of workers qualified in the sector, which is only going to demand more and more workers as our nation ages.

We came into government saying that we would rebuild TAFE, and clearly, going by these numbers, we have delivered. This bill is about making sure that this isn't just a one-off sugar hit for our sector. It is about making sure that we future-proof TAFE so that people will always be able to have the opportunities accessible to them. With this bill, fee-free TAFE will become a permanent part of our national vocational education and training system. This bill does three important things. Firstly, it commits the Commonwealth to make a grant of financial assistance to the states and territories for the delivery of free TAFE places, with states and territories required to enter a free TAFE agreement with the Commonwealth which sets out terms and conditions for financial assistance. This means that the states and the Commonwealth will work together to make sure that TAFE is strong and our country has enough qualified people in sectors that need workers. The bill sets out key matters that are to be dealt with in the free TAFE agreement, including the number of free TAFE places, the areas of study, the groups prioritised for access, reporting requirements and financial agreements. Finally, the bill will require the Skills and Workforce Ministerial Council to be consulted on any proposed changes to the act.

As our country grows and demand for skills increases, a strong TAFE is more important than ever. That's what we have started to build, and now it's time to protect and maintain the rate of progress that we are making. This bill ensures that free TAFE positions will be targeted to industries experiencing current and projected workforce shortages. It will be focused on areas that will achieve the national ambitions of a future made in Australia: construction and housing supply, the care and support economy, defence, digital and technology, manufacturing, and the restoring of our sovereign capability. These are all areas that we must help to thrive in order for a future Australia that will also be thriving.

There are a few key differences which really set us apart from the coalition. Our commitment to VET, to TAFE and to skills more broadly is certainly one of them. There is only one party that truly cares about TAFE, and that's us. The record shows this. The opposition's policy announcements show that this will not change after the next election. On this side of parliament, we aren't giving the bosses a taxpayer funded handout to go for lunch or to watch the footy. We're going to do things like make sure apprentices are being looked after by giving them a little bit extra in their pocket to help them get by each week.

I was an apprentice and, more recently, I managed apprentices when I managed a local engineering business. I know better than anyone that, while getting a trade is worth it in the long run, getting through your apprenticeship on lower wages can be really tough. It's really, really hard, and sometimes this can steer people away from apprenticeships. A person may start an apprenticeship and then really struggle whilst they're going through it. So we're here to help, and this was reflected in the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System. This is why we are responding with the housing construction apprenticeship program, which includes a $10,000 initiative payment that I'm sure will help encourage people to take up an apprenticeship and make life just that little bit easier while they're completing their apprenticeship.

Getting an apprenticeship will be easier than ever with our 500,000 fee-free TAFE places. At the end of the day, we want more Australian workers to make more things here. This can only be done if we have more people going through TAFE, more people completing apprenticeships and more tradies. When we have more tradies, we will have the workforce to deliver our Homes for Australia Plan, an ambitious target to deliver 1.2 million homes over the next five years. This is exactly what the $10,000 incentive payment will help encourage, with apprentices who work in the housing construction industry receiving $2,000 at the six-month mark into their apprenticeship and then at the 12-month mark, the two-year mark, the three-year mark and upon completion of their apprenticeship. They will receive $2,000 at every one of those marks along the way.

This payment is only one of a whole stack of changes we want to make to better look after our apprentices. We have raised the allowance paid to apprentices living away from home. This is the first time since 2003 that this has happened. A lot has changed and a lot of things have gone up in price since 2003, but apparently not this allowance. It's about time we made it up to date to better help apprentices living away from home in 2025. A first-year apprentice will be getting $120 a week for living away from home. That's a nearly $43 increase. A second-year will go up to $90 per week, which a $51.41 increase, and third-year apprentices will receive $45 per week, which is an extra $20 a week. We're also increasing the disability Australian apprentice wage support payment to support more employers taking apprentices with disability. The payment has been increased for the first time since 1998. The massive difference will make the lives of our apprentices easier. What this will do for them cannot be underestimated. This will make a huge difference.

We know that some—and by 'some' I mean 'those opposite'—think that TAFE is a waste of money. We heard that come straight out of the mouth of the deputy opposition leader. She's really not keen on it. She thinks that, if people get something for free, they don't value it and don't welcome it. But every dollar we spend on our people brings big rewards, more work, new ideas and a stronger economy. Investing in skills today means a better, tougher economy tomorrow.

As we look into the future, industries are evolving and new sectors are emerging. Free TAFE will ensure that our workforce is not only prepared for today's challenges but agile enough to meet the demands of tomorrow's economy. My advice to anyone who is thinking about entering a trade, early childhood education, nursing, aged care, personal care or disability services? Go and do it! Honestly, tradies are cool. We've built Australia. We've made Australia what it is. We need more engineers, too, but tradies make this place work. Go to TAFE, get an apprenticeship and get on with building the life, the future, the career you've always wanted. There is no better time than right now, because this government—the Labor government—is committed to making sure you have the support you need to not only get into TAFE but thrive during your apprenticeship. The opportunities that will come to you, the doors that will open, are endless.

You never know where life's going to take you. When I was an apprentice on the tools, getting dirty every day, I didn't think I'd be in this place talking up what it means to be an apprentice. So I say to anyone out there who's even thinking about doing it: just take the leap and do it. It's an amazing career. Being an apprentice, sure, you go through some tough times, but we are here to help you. Only the Albanese Labor government will help you do this. The opposition—the coalition over there—want to rip this away. They think this is wasteful spending. We'll make sure this is not wasteful spending, because we want you and your mates, all your friends who are involved in the trades and services we need, to help rebuild Australia to give us what we need into the future. Thank you to all the tradies out there now. Thank you to the early childhood educators, the nurses, the NDIS workers—anyone who works in those support areas. Thank you for all you do for our communities, our country. Without people like you we wouldn't be able to stand in a place like this, so thank you.

Go get a trade and really enjoy your life. Cheers!

Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that free TAFE is delivering the skills and training we need to grow the Australian economy. Free TAFE is training the carpenters, electricians, plumbers and tilers to build the homes we so desperately need. Free TAFE is training healthcare workers, social workers, aged-care workers and early childhood carers, ensuring that all Australians can get quality care when they need it.

It's not the first time I've stood here singing the praises of TAFE and it won't be the last. As a former TAFE teacher—a career of more than 10 years—the wife of a carpenter and the mum of two apprentice chippies, I know how gaining a TAFE qualification can change lives for the better. I've seen firsthand, both as a teacher and as a mum, how TAFE has opened doorways for young people and people of all ages in regional areas like my electorate of Gilmore on the New South Wales South Coast.

TAFE is awesome. I love it! I will shout it to the rooftops so that everyone knows just how great it is. And free TAFE is just the icing on the cake. By removing financial barriers to education and training, Labor's Free TAFE Bill 2024 will ensure that people, particularly young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, can gain skills and pursue the careers of their dreams. Free TAFE is putting people in regional areas like Gilmore on a pathway to well-paid and secure employment. Free TAFE means no-one is left behind. Whether our kids or grandkids want to become tradies, childcare workers, nurses, computer programmers or even cybersecurity experts, TAFE provides that opportunity. Free TAFE means more people of all ages can train, upskill or retrain to fill the gaps in our workforce.

By making free TAFE permanent, we can deliver a coordinated response to workforce shortages in priority industries, like construction, and ensure a pipeline of skilled workers that Australia needs now and into the future. We need to provide more housing right across Australia. We need to make homes more affordable to rent and buy. To do that we need skilled tradies to build more homes. We need skilled people to build homes, apartment complexes, manufacturing plants, hospitals and community centres. We need skilled people to build and install solar panels, to make buses and roads. We want to make more things here in Australia, and to do that we need to train more people. Where can our young people learn these skills? TAFE. Where can they study for free? TAFE. How do we start building a future made in Australia? Yes, TAFE is the answer.

The Albanese government is committed to investing in the skills Australia needs to drive economic growth. Our Free TAFE Bill offers greater certainty to students, employers and industry, and commits the Commonwealth to ongoing support to the states and territories for free TAFE. In regional areas like Gilmore, so many kids want to finish school.

Debate interrupted.