Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

This is a matter, I know, that Senator Fawcett has followed particularly closely because, Senator Fawcett, with his background in aviation, has been well aware that not just the training regulator but also CASA, the civil aviation safety administration authority, has undertaken its own audit identifying that aircraft engineering and training undertaken by TAFE SA has failed to live up to the adequate standards. So we have here clear signals that areas of critical safety have been failed, in terms of the training provided to students in South Australia.

I understand the Senate today is likely to consider establishing an inquiry into this. This is crucial, because the South Australian parliament won't sit again until the election in the middle of March next year. So the Senate has a chance to do what Jay Weatherill will not do—and that is, hold Susan Close and her department to account for their manifest failures.

Mr President, while I'm in Adelaide in South Australia, I'd like to tell the Senate that two wickets have been claimed in the Ashes whilst we've been here; four to go!