James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education, Senator Cash. How is the Liberal-National government helping Australians who were ripped off by unscrupulous training providers under VET FEE-HELP?

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

I thank Senator Paterson for the question. I have to say that it's disappointing to hear Senator Cameron laugh. Senator Cameron, your former government presided over one of the worst rorts in the VET sector that this country has ever seen. When we came into office we became aware of the extent of Labor's failed VET FEE-HELP. They allowed shonky and dodgy providers to sign up vulnerable students to courses. The students had no capacity to complete the courses. They were offered inducements to complete the courses. They had no capacity at all or they didn't even know that they were signing up for a loan. We continue to clean up Labor's mess. What we have now done is introduce further legislation to ensure that we support the VET sector in Australia.

I will give a real-life example of someone who suffered as a result of Labor's failed VET FEE-HELP. A lady by the name of Anita enrolled in good faith in a diploma of business over the phone in 2012, never having been told that she would be liable for the course fees. She made a decision to withdraw from the course shortly after commencement and contacted her provider. Mr President, do you know what happened to Anita as a result of Labor's failed VET FEE-HELP system? She was saddled with a debt of $18,000 because of the conduct of a dodgy provider allowed by those on the other side. Well, on this side of the chamber, we're going to go into bat for people like Anita, and we are going to ensure that we do the right thing by her and bring the VET system's reputation back— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the government's action supporting the wider vocational education sector?

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

The problem with Labor's disastrous VET FEE-HELP program is that the majority of providers are actually good providers and they actually do the right thing. They are legitimate registered training organisations. But what happens when you open up a system, like Labor did, to rorts and to dodgy providers? You sully the names of even those who are out there doing the right thing.

So when we came into government we got rid of their scheme because it was a failed scheme. We introduced a new scheme. We weeded out the shonky providers, and we are now ensuring that those who were ripped off because of Labor's failed scheme can have their debts cancelled, because, on this side of the chamber, what do we want to see? We want to see all Australians, mums and dads in particular, looking at our vocational education and training system and saying, 'That is a system that we want our kids to choose so that they are job ready and they can go off into the workforce with the skills that employers need.' (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a final supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, in what other ways is the government investing in vocational education and skills?

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

As part of what we are doing to get Australians job ready, we are heavily investing in the VET sector. Mr President, the economic conditions are right to create jobs and, as you know, in excess of 1.1 million jobs have been created since we were elected to office. We also know that employers want Australians with work-ready skills, and that is where the VET sector is just so important.

In terms of apprentices, what have we done? We've invested $1.5 billion in the Skilling Australians Fund because we want to create up to an additional 300,000 more Australian—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Senator Cameron, thank you for mentioning South Australia, because, colleagues from South Australia, guess what? The Marshall government is the first state government to get their project over the line under the Skilling Australians Fund. I say congratulations to Steven Marshall as Premier of South Australia, a Liberal Premier, because he wants more apprentices and he is working with the federal government. (Time expired)