Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a blatant political attack by the coalition on a considered decision made by the state government, a decision based on an independent review where 70 stakeholders were consulted, including the local Queensland Liberal National member, Lachlan Millar. This is from a government that has withdrawn funding from Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia, funding that Labor will return. This is from a government that has cut more than $3 billion from vocational education and skills and has stood by while apprentice numbers have dropped by 140,000. This is from a coalition that has failed to create a viable vocational education and training policy after being in government for five years. Instead, they have stood by while TAFE campuses and courses in regional and rural Australia have been closing, course fees have escalated and enrolments have plummeted.