Wednesday, 13 May 2026

 Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Skills and TAFE) (14:19): Recently I had the privilege to join the Premier, the Minister for Regional Development and the member for Wendouree at Federation Uni in Ballarat to announce our support in the budget for free TAFE as part of a $459 million investment in skills and training. We had the chance to meet some fantastic local apprentices and some students doing a free TAFE course in the electrical trades – some young up-and-coming sparkies. TAFE, and in particular free TAFE, is literally changing lives, and we heard that in speaking to these young people. There are more than 60,000 people across Victoria doing a free TAFE course this year across 80 priority courses. Free TAFE has saved more than 245,000 Victorians around $3300 each in course fees, so that is a really big saving in terms of cost-of-living relief.

The Allan Labor government created free TAFE as part of our rebuilding of TAFE, investing $16 billion in base and new funding, in new campuses and in upgrading campuses – some 45 across the state. What we will not do is what the previous Liberals and Nationals did: cut $1 billion from TAFE, sack 2000 TAFE teachers and close 22 TAFE campuses. We all remember the padlocks on those TAFE campus gates. We know that some are planning $40 billion worth of cuts in this state and they will be coming after TAFE again, and that can only mean pain for Victorian families. Forty billion dollars in cuts means cuts to TAFE, it means cuts to free TAFE, it means sacking more TAFE teachers and it means closing more TAFE campuses. Under the Liberals and Jess Wilson’s cuts, every Victorian will suffer.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: I know what your point of order is, member for Brighton. I again remind ministers to refer to members by their correct titles, and I would have thought a former Speaker would know that. In future I will be seeking apologies.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is required to be factual, and the fact is that TAFE teachers are the lowest paid in the country.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.