Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to sum up debate on the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2019. In doing so, I thank all colleagues who have contributed to the debate on the bill.

The bill will ensure that the national VET regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority, otherwise known as ASQA, is positioned to safeguard and enhance the reputation and integrity of Australia's vocational education and training sector. Last year the government committed $18.1 million to support reform of ASQA. These reforms will ensure that regulation of the VET sector is transparent and effective and is aligned with the modern best practice models of governance and engagement. The bill is the first step of changes to ASQA which respond to recommendations from the 2018 Braithwaite review into the regulator's primary legislation and the 2019 Joyce review of VET to ensure the legislation is fit for purpose.

The bill supports ASQA's move towards transparency, ensuring it is a balanced regulator that builds quality and capacity in the VET sector. These measures ensure ASQA has the necessary powers to regulate registered training organisations and ensure only those RTOs genuinely committed and adequately resourced to deliver our quality training to students are allowed to operate. Improved transparency of regulatory actions will occur with the public release of RTO audit reports once an appropriate format for these reports has been consulted on and agreed. This important measure will improve VET sector confidence in the ability of the regulator to make appropriate, consistent and proportionate regulatory decisions.

Expanding information entered on the publicly available national register and enabling ASQA to share information electronically with others responsible for administering laws relating to VET will assist students to make informed enrolment decisions and provide employers with better information about training quality. Further technical amendments in the bill support ASQA to be a more responsive, efficient regulator and facilitate improved engagement with the sector.

ASQA will have powers to use enforceable undertakings to take action against an RTO where it deems an undertaking is more effective. This aligns it with similar powers of other regulatory regimes. Additionally, ASQA will have powers to stay the legal effect of regulatory decisions if an RTO seeks an internal review. This provides flexibility to support training delivery so that students' studies are not interrupted during a review.

The bill will also enable a simpler and faster-acting appointment process for ASQA commissioners. The minister will have the ability to appoint a commissioner to act as deputy chief commissioner during a vacancy or whilst the deputy commissioner is absent from duty. This is not currently available under the act. As a result, the deputy or acting deputy chief commissioner will automatically act as the chief commissioner where there is a vacancy in the position of chief commissioner. Further, the minister may appoint an acting commissioner, ensuring ASQA can continue to operate effectively and with a quorum.

The Morrison government is committed to ensuring the continuous improvement of Australia's skills and training sector, and a strong, responsive, transparent VET regulator is essential to our commitment. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.