Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Sterle. I know that you're a very strong supporter of the TAFE system in your home state of Western Australia. When the Albanese government was elected just over 12 months ago, it was clear that not only had we inherited a trillion dollars of Liberal and Nationals debt with nothing to show for it but also, after a decade in government, they had left behind a massive skills deficit. There used to be 153 occupations on the skills shortage list in Australia, but under those opposite it jumped to 286, almost double.

According to the OECD, Australia is experiencing the second most severe labour shortage in the developed world. It is an embarrassing legacy of a decade of coalition government. Projections are that nine out of every 10 new jobs over the next five years will need a post-school qualification. The Albanese government recognises the urgency of the skills crisis facing our nation. Strong and accessible higher education and vocational education and training sectors are crucial to tackling this skill shortage. It's also vital to boosting Australia's productivity. Our government has a plan to make our economy stronger and more productive so that we can lift incomes and lift living standards, because we don't want Australians to have to work harder for less money.

That's why we took immediate action after the election by bringing together Australians, unions, employers and civil society at the Jobs and Skills Summit and by working with state and territory governments to fund 180,000 fee-free TAFE places in 2023. I am pleased to update the Senate that in the first quarter of 2023 the Albanese government has supported almost 150,000 Australians to enrol in fee-free TAFE. The most popular courses have been in skills priority areas like early childhood education, nursing, support work, cybersecurity and construction. We have also seen a strong uptake by women, while more than 25,000 students currently enrolled in fee-free TAFE are from households that speak a language other than English at home. This marks the start of a once-in-a-generation reform of the TAFE and VET sector. (Time expired)