House of Representatives

Thursday, 1 December 2016 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 23
outline how TAFE will be supported—how the government will ensure that they do not have to cut more courses,
lose more teachers, close more classes and campuses. But this government is not even committing to putting a
new national partnership in place.
In fact, just a couple of weeks ago the assistant minister, when asked about it, said, 'Well, if you want more
money, you better go and speak to the Treasurer.' Well, no, Assistant Minister, that is actually your job. Your job
is to go and speak to the Treasurer and make sure that there is a strong national partnership in place that will
support our vocational educational sector. But if you do not want to do your job, that is fine because the
Australian Labor Party, and now the Senate, are going to stand up and demand that it be done nevertheless. We
stand up and demand that TAFE be supported until a new national partnership is in place and there are appropriate
funds flowing towards our TAFE providers.
We know that TAFE has not been part of the VET FEE-HELP problem. Over 95 per cent of the quality
complaints to the Australian Skills Quality Authority about quality relate to providers outside of TAFE. Public
providers, including TAFE, in fact make up less than five per cent of complaints. TAFEs also have significantly
higher unit completion rates than some of the private providers, at 77 per cent versus 59 per cent, so we know
there is a clear indication that the TAFE system is not responsible for the dodgy practices that we have seen
unfold under this government. TAFE is not responsible for the rorts that have been allowed to waste millions and
millions of taxpayer dollars. Yet, TAFEs will be hit and hit hard, as well as other providers, if this government
does not stand up and take action.
We have some dire concerns about the implementation of these reforms. We have said to the government that
we will not stand in the way of the reforms to VET FEE-HELP—in fact, they are based on our policy. But, we
have warned them that they need to get the course list right and they need to make sure that they also have the
correct caps in place, and we do not do not think that they are there. That is why our leader, the Leader of the
Opposition, wrote to the Prime Minister calling on him to intervene and make sure it is right, because we are here
on the last sitting day and, just now, the government is trying to get support for legislation that they want to see
come into place on 1 January. We are saying, if you want to put this in place on 1 January, you must join with
Labor and make sure that TAFE is protected. You must stand up and you must make sure that there are
protections in place, particularly for not-for-profit providers, but for all of those quality providers who are going
to be hit and hit hard.
The really sad thing about this is the government knows that there will be quality providers who are going to be
hit hard as a result of these measures, but they are not prepared to do anything about it. Just a couple of weeks
ago, Minister Birmingham said, 'I am sorry for innocent parties who are caught up in the reforms that are being
put in place.' Well, sorry is not good enough; sorry is not good enough for our TAFE system, sorry is not good
enough for a vocational education sector. Labor will stand up and fight for these reforms, and the Senate has
joined us. The government must now get on board.
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (11:06): I second the motion. The question is: why does this government not
like TAFE? Why does this government not put its faith in TAFE and properly fund TAFE? As the shadow
minister outlined, there is a national partnership that needs to be negotiated. It needs to be delivered. It is critically
important that this government actually does the job of governing. Unfortunately, I think the chaos that reigns
within this government is stopping it from getting on and doing the business it needs to do—that is, protecting
TAFE; that is, recognising the important role that TAFE has in our training and education system. What we know
is that under the watch of this government, we saw sharks in the VET area really attack the VET system. The
credibility of the VET system really was undermined on this government's watch. What did the government
members do? They sat on their hands and did nothing. Member for Sturt, do you not want to hear this?
Mr PYNE (Sturt—Leader of the House and Minister for Defence Industry) (11:08): I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
The SPEAKER: The question is that the member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [11:12]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
Abbott, AJ
Andrews, KJ
Banks, J
Ayes ...................... 74
Noes ...................... 72
Majority ................. 2
AYES
Alexander, JG
Andrews, KL
Bishop, JI
CHAMBER