Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald may not care about Apprentice Kickstart, but there are members of the opposition who do—at least one of them anyway. The member for Murray has been has been out in force. She has been touring her electorate, pushing Apprentice Kickstart. She has had almost blanket media coverage on Goulburn Valley radio, the Loddon Times and the Riverine Herald, talking about the incentives for apprenticeships. So I thank her for the good work that she has been doing. I congratulate her.

But sadly, Mr President, she is the only one. Sadly, I have to say, the shadow minister for apprentices and training did not seem to know that Apprentice Kickstart existed. On ABC South Coast in Western Australia, what did he say with regard to apprenticeships, training and job creation? He said, ‘I guess what I am looking for is to see how we can best support, from a federal and state government point of view, those employers to provide incentives to ensure that investment in training happens today.’ That is exactly what we have done. (Time expired)