Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

We have now seen over $8.5 billion in vocational education and training investment. That is what the Morrison government has done since the commencement of the pandemic.

In 2020-21 we invested over $5.1 billion in skills and training. That helped Australian businesses retain their apprentices and then, if they could take that one step further, take on an additional apprentice. This financial year we have boosted that investment again with a record $6.4 billion in vocational education and training investment. This two years of investment also includes around $3.9 billion for the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy. That, of course, was in recognition of the fact that businesses did need assistance to take on an additional apprentice and that we would provide them with the necessary support to do that.

Of course, we have now gone further and expanded that program— (Time expired)