Thursday, 28 November 2024

VCE exams

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:04): (766) My question is to the Minister for Skills and TAFE. Minister, as you know, the VCE includes a broad range of studies, including 27 VCE VET programs. Many of these are fully integrated VET programs within the VCE. As you are also aware, the 2024 VCE examination process has been a fiasco, with breaches of security and a consequent loss of integrity and trust. It has been reported that 12 VCE VET subjects, amounting to 44 per cent of VCE VET subjects, were compromised by students having access to exam questions prior to the exam. So I ask: on what date were you first informed about this debacle, and what actions did you consequently take?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:05): Again, this is another example of those opposite asking questions about the skills and training system and not having a clue, otherwise they would not ask the question. The answer is that those courses are within the jurisdiction of the Minister for Education, not the Minister for Skills and TAFE. If you were actually interested in vocational education and training, you would know that.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, I very carefully referenced the authority’s own material. I made the point that many of these fully integrated VET programs are within the VCE, but the minister still has responsibility for VET programs, their delivery and the integrity of those programs. She cannot step away from responsibility. The administrative orders are very clear. Even the government’s own documents indicate that the 27 VET programs –

The PRESIDENT: I do not think it is a point of order. I think you are just using this opportunity to reprosecute your question. The minister answered the question.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:07): It is an absolute outrage that this minister is seeking to avoid responsibility. She should have known. She should have been across this subject, and I ask: can you explain to the house the impact of the VCE VET fiasco on individual VCE VET students, specifically what the nature of the compromise of the VET subjects was and how the debacle will be rectified?

Harriet Shing: Finishing the year on a high, Mr Davis.

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:08): On a high, Minister Shing, and consistently ill-informed about skills and training and vocational education and training in this state. As I have answered in the substantive question, this whole area is under the portfolio of the Minister for Education, and it is hardly surprising that you cannot ask me a direct question about this, because it is not in my portfolio.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, it is totally and utterly inconceivable that the minister was not informed about the debacle with the VET subjects that she administers. She ought to be sacked. She is responsible for those VET subjects, and she should have taken some action.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I could not hear a lot of that, but I am not putting it down as a point of order.