Thursday, 21 March 2024

Western Victoria Region

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:58): (781) My constituency matter is for the attention of the Minister for Skills and TAFE. A constituent raised a matter about TAFE course fees when a young person or an apprentice is completing a sponsored course paid for by the employer. The onus currently rests with the student of the course to pay the course fees. In most circumstances the sponsor, which is usually an employer, pays the course fees, but that does not always happen. My question to the minister is this: is the minister reviewing these arrangements or having discussions with their federal counterparts and funding partners to ensure that apprentices are protected when employers or sponsors do not pay those fees?