Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science) Share this | Hansard source

I'll examine what's happened with that report. I mean no discourtesy to the Senate. I will see what's happened. In the meantime—as I've said before—in the budget we announced a $1.5 billion Skilling Australians Fund, prioritised to apprenticeships and traineeships. The fund, when matched with state and territory funding, will support up to 300,000 apprentices, trainees, pre-apprentices and higher-level skilled Australians. These changes will give Australian jobseekers the skills they need to find work.

We have established a $60 million Industry Specialist Mentoring program to help 45,000 apprentices and trainees complete their training, addressing the low apprenticeship completion rates. We're also delivering on our election commitment of a Commonwealth scholarships program for South Australia, targeting former auto industry employees such as auto-electricians and panelbeaters as well as graduates and postgraduates. That builds on the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Fund that we had in the budget, which in turn built on a $155 million growth fund announced earlier to help the auto industry transition.