Thursday, 28 November 2024

Vocational education and training

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:11): (767) My question is to the Minister for Skills and TAFE. Minister, why is your government forcing a busload of Wonthaggi Village High School students to travel for an hour and a half to Frankston TAFE to complete the VET component of their VCE VM due to no in-person TAFE training being offered in the town?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:12): I thank Ms Bath for her question. This is a question that has been raised with me previously. I have advised the house that Chisholm Institute and TAFE Gippsland are undertaking a study at the moment and are undertaking consultations with the Wonthaggi community to determine what the ongoing skills needs are in terms of the local economy but also of course of individuals and their families, and that will be provided to me shortly. I look forward to that. In addition to that, can I say that the VET in schools program has been very successful in Wonthaggi.

Members interjecting.

Gayle TIERNEY: So no-one is allowed to make a comment about anything, is that right? This, coming from those opposite that believe that TAFE is a dirty word. These are the people that believe TAFE is a dirty word.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the time is for questions, not for the minister to attack the opposition, despite her struggle to understand what she is responsible for with TAFE.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order in terms of previous rulings that answers should be responsive and should not be attacking the opposition. I will call the minister to the question.

Gayle TIERNEY: We do absolutely support regional TAFEs. We have got over 70 per cent of our students going to regional TAFEs. We have spent over $2 billion in capital works since 2014 on regional TAFEs, and it is very much part and parcel of our agenda. That is why I have also made sure that TAFE CEOs are on our regional partnerships so that when there are conversations about the future of our regional towns, our regional cities, we are absolutely in the front seat of that car in those conversations determining what pathways need to be available for our students.

This, coming from an opposition that shut down 22 campuses, and 15 were in regional Victoria. If you want to talk about TAFE Gippsland, give me 10 hours because what you did to Gippsland was absolutely criminal. It took this government to get in there and absolutely make sure that we could rebuild TAFE right through Gippsland. We rebuilt Morwell. We have rebuilt a whole range of facilities, including Sale, not to mention major upgrades at Bairnsdale and Traralgon. This is a government that is absolutely committed to access and delivery of TAFE, vocational education, in regional Victoria. As I have said, there is a study going on in terms of Wonthaggi, because we are on to it. You never were.

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:15): I note the minister’s response. Minister, this is a municipality of 45,000 people, and it has no face-to-face TAFE classes. When will the Bass Coast return to face-to-face TAFE class?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:16): There are a number of arrangements that are in place that Ms Bath is absolutely aware of. If she was not, then she is misleading the house. The fact of the matter is that there is a study that is being undertaken. I look forward to receiving it, because we have got a fantastic track record when it comes to vocational education and training right across the state but particularly in terms of regional Victoria. Those opposite that have got any connection with Gippsland should be ashamed, because you drove vocational education and training into the ground from one end of Gippsland to the other. It was an absolute embarrassment. You should be able –

David Davis interjected.

Gayle TIERNEY: I do not run exams.