TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (14:56): I am delighted to advise the house that last night I signed the new five-year National Skills Agreement with the federal government, securing $3.1 billion for Victoria’s TAFE and training sector. This deal will create even more opportunities for Victorians to be able to access the skills that they need for the jobs and careers that are available. This is what a true federal–state partnership looks like. The Allan Labor government and the Albanese Labor government are demonstrating a shared commitment to building a responsive skills pipeline for skills shortage areas and government priorities.
It is particularly pleasing to see the federal government’s strong commitment to TAFE as part of the deal, which includes working with the states on the establishment of nationally networked TAFE centres of excellence involving partnerships between TAFEs, universities, jobs and skills councils, industry and adult education institutions. In addition, Victoria will receive a $105 million extension of free TAFE funding arrangements, securing more than 62,000 free TAFE places for Victorian students. This builds on our existing commitment of free TAFE, including the lifting of eligibility requirements, which means that all Victorians can access tuition-free training across more than 80 courses in priority areas, even if they already hold a separate qualification.
Funding through the National Skills Agreement is being provided to support states to address priority areas which closely align with the Victorian skills plan, including clean energy, Australia’s sovereign capability, care and support services, and digital and technology capability, further aligning the training system to the labour market and of course our economy. In addition, work will go into gender equality, closing the gap for First Nations and reform and improvement of regulation of VET qualifications and quality.
I take this opportunity to thank the federal minister Brendan O’Connor and all the other state ministers and their staff for working so closely with me and the Allan Labor government to actually secure this groundbreaking agreement.
The PRESIDENT: I reckon Minister Tierney went a bit over her time, but I could not hear her in the first minute, so I thought I would make up time for her because I could not hear the first minute for all the shouting. In a ministers statement or a members statement or anything like that, unless someone is being provocative – and I listened closely to the minister and she was not being provocative – I think everyone would like the respect to be able to make a statement without everyone yelling at them.