Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I can, Senator Grogan. Under our government, we're helping more tradies get the qualifications they need to build more homes and we're helping them get those qualifications for free.

Senator Henderson scoffs. Was that a scoff or a sneer? I'm not quite sure what that was.

A government senator: It was a sneer.

It was a sneer, wasn't it? It was a sneer at the idea that we would help people get into construction trades through free TAFE courses. More than 35,000 Australians are doing free construction courses through our free TAFE policy in the program's first 18 months. Last week our government made announcements with the Western Australian and South Australian governments that will make more free TAFE places available in construction and housing courses—because, if we want to build more homes, we need more boots on the ground. Unlike an arrogant Peter Dutton, we won't sneer at young Australians seeking—