Wednesday, 28 August 2024

 Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:12): (639) My question today is to the Minister for Skills and TAFE. Can the minister please confirm that it is this Labor government’s expectation that every university student in Victoria will have quality in-person tuition available to them for their tertiary studies?

The PRESIDENT: I am not too sure if that is in the minister’s remit.

Gayle Tierney: On a point of order, President, in terms of the actual application of that program, that is not within my remit. It would sit more with Minister Jason Clare; that would be my understanding.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Puglielli, do you want to try and rephrase?

Aiv PUGLIELLI: I raise the question because the minister, as I understand it, oversees the acts under which universities in Victoria operate and are administered. That is why the question has been posed. I understand there is obviously an overlap with the federal jurisdiction, but again I would appreciate it if my question stands.

The PRESIDENT: I will put the question, and the minister will answer as she sees fit.

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:13): This sort of issue has been raised in the house a number of times in terms of the state minister who has responsibility for higher education and where those boundaries essentially are. In terms of funding, it is the federal government that is the prime provider for funding. In terms of operational matters, they are for the universities themselves; they are independent organisations. In terms of commentary in relation to international students, I share that with the Treasurer, and indeed of course the federal higher education minister has responsibility, ultimately, for international students. In respect to some property aspects, I have some responsibilities. In terms of specific programs that are undertaken at a university, again, depending on whether it is a question about funding, it would be the federal government. If it is actually about the application of it, it would be for the university as well as the federal government. Leaving that to one side, I also of course have views on a number of things, and I am sure that you will take an opportunity to ask what those views might be.

 Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:15): Thank you, Minister. My office has heard quite a bit from Federation University regarding issues that they are experiencing. Federation University staff have indicated to me that they are dedicated to providing the best possible tuition to their students across regional Victoria, and they want to see investment in quality in-person classes delivered in their local communities for those local communities. Yet they have spoken of increased reliance on hybrid connected classrooms, which is seriously undermining the quality of student experiences at these universities – students are spread across three different campuses in a single lesson, they may never meet their teacher in person and they struggle to engage with their coursework and their fellow students and teachers. How do these conditions meet, under your remit as minister, best practice, quality, in-person tuition being made available to Victorian students?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:16): Again, this is an issue that would not fall within my remit, because it is very much an operational issue of Federation University. But having said that, I have conversations with Federation University on a range of things, and I am more than happy for you to come and talk to me more about the issues that your constituents might have in respect to this.