Tuesday, 28 October 2025

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:09): I will begin with a quote: ‘Education was my beacon of hope.’ This message, shared with me by Robert, will stay with me for a long, long time. I met Robert yesterday at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray alongside fellow asylum seekers and VET students, Manal and Lina. We were joined by the fabulous Footscray local member Katie Hall and ASRC CEO – a Melbourne legend – Kon and many passionate ASRC staff and volunteers. Together we celebrated the Allan Labor government’s $3 million investment in the asylum seeker vocational and education and training program, including $400,000 for the ASRC. This program, which helps asylum seekers gain VET qualifications, is already giving back in spades. Robert spoke movingly about his difficult journey to Melbourne and the struggles he faced on arrival. Through it all, he said, education was his beacon of hope.

And I am pleased to inform the house that he will soon graduate with a diploma of community services from Victoria University. Lina and Manal have also overcome great obstacles to enrol in VET, with Lina studying a diploma of screen and media at RMIT, and Manal studying early childhood education at Chisholm. So far the asylum seeker VET program has supported more than 950 asylum seekers, and we could not be prouder of their achievements. My final words belong to Kon, who, in his usual compassionate and gracious manner, said:

This program brings out the best in us. Just like Treaty. In this great multicultural, First Nations country of ours, we will always be stronger together.