Thursday, 20 November 2025

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:43): I rise today to say thank you to Victoria’s TAFE teachers. TAFE is at the heart of our world-class training system, and TAFE teachers are the backbone. It was a pleasure to meet all of the TAFE teacher and TAFE trainer of the year recipients here at Parliament House yesterday, along with their families and colleagues, and I was pleased to see so many of my fellow MPs taking the time to meet and celebrate their local TAFE teachers. Well done to every winner – you do us so proud. The TAFE teachers I met started in every corner of the economy, whether it be construction, agriculture, IT, community services, allied health, mental health or hair and beauty. They have taken their real-world experience and turned it into something powerful: training the next generation of skilled workers. Their stories are inspiring. We have teachers like Chisholm TAFE teacher of the year Nelly Mohibi. Nelly is an Afghan refugee who moved to Australia when she was nine years old. In 2019 she began a teaching community services course at Chisholm, focusing on how to identify and respond to family violence risks. As Nelly’s story shows, our TAFEs are a beacon for inclusion and opportunity. The Allan Labor government is backing our TAFE teachers, with this year’s budget delivering more than $9 million for TAFE teacher scholarships. This three-year package will enable 300 TAFE teachers to access free training to further their professional development. Our government will always back TAFE, and we will always support our teachers, unlike those opposite.