MS TIERNEY (Minister for Training and Skills) — Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of joining the member for St Albans in the Legislative Assembly, Natalie Suleyman, and the member for Footscray in the Legislative Assembly, Marsha Thomson, to announce $10 million of Andrews Labor government funding for a brand-new world-class training facility at Victoria Polytechnic’s Sunshine campus skills hub. The Sunshine skills hub will feature a health and community services centre of excellence and an innovation and incubation hub, along with a cafe, gymnasium and bookshop. The hub will support the development of industry partnerships, increase access to vocational education in the western suburbs of Melbourne and reinvigorate the local community. The $35 million centre is jointly funded by Victoria University, which is providing $20 million, and the Ian Potter Foundation, which is contributing $5 million, along with $10 million from Labor’s TAFE Rescue Fund.
I also had the pleasure of announcing a further $800 000 for Victoria Polytechnic to purchase new state-of-the-art equipment, including paramedic pods and health simulation equipment, thanks to Labor’s specialised teaching equipment initiative. This initiative provides institutes with the opportunity to invest in state-of-the-art specialised equipment so that students are entering the workforce with the knowledge, skills and experience to use the most up-to-date equipment that is of an industry standard.
Over the past two years Labor has invested heavily in TAFEs and the dual-sector universities through these initiatives, and we will continue to invest in Victoria’s training and skills sector because, unlike those opposite, we believe all Victorians should have access to high-quality training to get the jobs that they want. We are overhauling Victoria’s training and TAFE system through Skills First, guaranteeing funding to secure the future of TAFE and making sure Victorians have the right skills for the jobs of the future. This continues the government’s investment in TAFE over the last two years, including new buildings, reopening campuses, new courses and the latest cutting-edge equipment.
Ordered that statement be considered next day on motion of Mrs PEULICH (South Eastern Metropolitan).