Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:31): (618) My question is for the Minister for Corrections. Minister, according to the Corrections Victoria Corrections, prison and parole website, there are five VET centres of excellence in civil construction and one VET sector of excellence in welding across the state’s prisons. What is the role of the CFMEU in the provision of this training?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:31): I thank Mr Davis for his question and his interest in our centres of excellence. I have been very proud of our government, and you would have seen that from my ministers statement about the investments we have made in vocational and employment programs across our corrections system. Our centres of excellence are designed to give people in our custody the best chance to turn their lives around, and using their time productively with us is the best way. That means developing skills to better protect them and the broader community once they are released.
Our centres of excellence have a range of partners. For example, at Loddon Middleton we have got a partnership with the Kangan Institute to provide those services. In terms of partnerships, my understanding is that the partnerships are predominantly with the TAFE sector but also with employers that take on people upon their release. It has been a program that has been very successful. Over 60Â people have received employment over the last 18Â months or so through that program. In relation to the work that they do or membership of other associations, it is not a matter that has necessarily been brought to my attention, because our partnership is with the TAFE, Kangan Institute, which usually leads that work, and Corrections Victoria, which works with employers to get employment for the men in custody upon release.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:33): I listened very closely to what the minister said. He did not seem to answer the basic question of: what is the role of the CFMEU in the provision of this training? It seems he does not know, and if he does not know, he can come back –
Enver Erdogan: Kangan Institute and the employers have the role.
David DAVIS: I understand. You are saying there is no role? Or you are saying you do not know? In any event, are any vocational education and training programs available to Victorian prisoners delivered alongside or in partnership with the CFMEU?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:33): I thank Mr Davis for his supplementary question. I think I was very clear in my substantive: we have a partnership with Kangan Institute and with employers. When people are in employment upon release, there are a number of associations that people can join. Of course people working in the construction sector can be members of the CFMEU or not be members. That is a choice for the individual to make. But our partnerships are primarily through the TAFE system and with employers.