Thursday, 5 February 2026

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:27): My question is for the minister for training and skills. Minister, why were there 14,715 fewer government-funded students in vocational education and training between January and September 2025 compared to the same period the year before?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:28): I thank the member for the question and for his interest in terms of students and government-funded positions. TAFEs increased their share of government-funded enrolments from 53 per cent to 59 per cent over the reported period of January to September 2025. TAFEs had a 5 per cent increase in program enrolments as of September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, while private providers had a 24 per cent decline. Data shows that Victorians are increasingly choosing to enrol at TAFE for the very best in vocational education and training; that is from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research report. A further quote from the NCVER report shows government funding of courses is helping to close the gap for First Peoples in Victoria. The latest data shows a significant increase in First Peoples students enrolling in vocational training.

The other point that needs to be made, which those opposite continue not to acknowledge, is that with the realignment of delivery to those areas that are government priority areas, there has been a marked increase in those areas that are needed and are required by individuals, by industry and by the economy, whether it be in terms of blue-collar areas, in terms of construction or indeed –

Richard Welch: On a point of order, President, the question was asking for an explanation why there are 14,000 less people. The minister has gone nowhere near addressing that question, and I would like to know the explanation as to why there are 14,000 less.

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister heard your question. I believe she was being relevant.

Gayle TIERNEY: I have answered the question. The fact is that we are seeing more students starting and completing TAFE, more women starting and completing, more First Nations students starting and completing and more students choosing TAFE, and close to 70 per cent of apprentices and traineeships are delivered at TAFE. Over 60 per cent of students re-skilling are women. We are making the TAFE system, the vocational education and training system in this state, fit for purpose so that it is agile and dealing with what is needed in terms of the economy and what the shortages are, and we are making sure that TAFE and the VET system are not a lolly shop, which was the case under your government.

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:31): Thank you, Minister, for that answer, but that is just typical Labor, using percentages to dance around the subject when there are, in absolute terms, 14,000 less. That is an extraordinary figure in an economy that is desperate for skills. Why is the Allan Labor government drastically cutting funding to vocational training when we are in a critical skills shortage in Victoria?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:31): We are not. We are making sure that we are investing in vocational education and training in this state. That was what you did: you cut over a billion dollars out of the skills and training system. You shut 22 campuses, and you had TAFE institutions on their knees. The only thing left was to flick the switch and turn the electricity off.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition, it is a chance to answer questions.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order.