Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Vocational education and training

Dr BACH (Eastern Metropolitan) (18:16): (1768) My adjournment matter tonight is for the Minister for Higher Education and Minister for Training and Skills. The action that I seek of her is to release up-to-date VET completion data for all vulnerable cohorts. It is a matter of fact that over the course of this government fewer and fewer Victorians, especially young Victorians, have been able to access training. According to the Department of Education and Training’s last annual report, over just the last four years the number of young Victorians completing VET has fallen by a full 35 per cent, or 36 000 places. This fall in the number of young Victorians in particular who have been able to access training under this government through TAFE and also our independent providers—our excellent independent providers—has been most egregious when it comes to vulnerable cohorts.

That is the language that was used a little bit earlier today by the TAFE ambassador in this place, Ms Terpstra. I made a statement yesterday in which I referred to these facts—and facts they are. She took the opportunity today to say that I had lied, and she explicitly challenged me in this place earlier today.

Mr Davis: Has she withdrawn yet?

Dr BACH: She has not withdrawn, Mr Davis. She explicitly challenged me today to reveal my source. Well, I can reveal my source this evening. It is the Department of Education and Training. According to the most recent annual report of the Department of Education and Training—

Mr Davis: Is it published on the web?

Dr BACH: It is published on the web, Mr Davis. It is published through the papers office here. VET participation by learners facing barriers has decreased over the last four years alone by a significant number for Indigenous Victorians and by more than 9000 for Victorians with a disability. VET participation for unemployed learners—another vulnerable cohort—has fallen by 27 000 over the last four years. The government missed its target for the number of students without year 12 engaging in VET by over 5000 last year. The government missed its target for the number of government-subsidised course enrolments by students eligible for fee concessions—vulnerable students—by some 12 000.

Ms Terpstra said I lied. Ms Terpstra said I must reveal my source. My source is the Department of Education and Training, and its annual report paints the most sorry picture. It is a great thing that this government has provided its bipartisan support to free TAFE—that excellent Liberal program that was first initiated back in 2012 by a wonderful minister, Mary Wooldridge. That is a great thing, but there are broader problems in the training and skills portfolio that this minister and her TAFE ambassador must turn their minds to rather than impugning, wrongly, other members of this place.