Labor will invest in local jobs and skills by reversing Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts to local TAFE, skills and apprenticeships.
In this year’s budget, Malcolm Turnbull cut another $637 million from TAFE and apprentices – including $24.6 million from Tasmania over the next four years.
Australia now has 130,000 fewer apprentices and trainees than when the Liberals were elected.
Malcolm Turnbull has no plan for education and no plan for Tasmania’s future.
Member for Bass, Ross Hart MP said “Tasmania’s economy is changing fast and the skills Tasmanians need to get well-paid and secure jobs are changing too.
“During the Australian Jobs Taskforce held in Launceston in May the Chair Susan Lamb MP, Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell MP and I attended the Wellington St Campus of TasTAFE where we had a chance to chat to Diploma of Nursing students working in the ‘prac’ room using the manual handling equipment.
“These students were well aware that there is a growing need for nursing and aged care services in Tasmania and recognised the flexibility TasTAFE offers, for providing the higher education needed to secure higher paying jobs,” Mr Hart Said.
This is why Labor will reverse Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts, investing an additional $24.6 million in Tasmania so Bass locals can access quality skills and training. Labor will:
1. Establish in a new $100 million Building TAFE for the Future Fund – to re-establish TAFE facilities in regional communities, meet local industry needs and support teaching for the digital economy.
2. Restore TAFE as the backbone of our vocational education system by guaranteeing at least two thirds of public funding goes to TAFE.
3. Set a target of one in ten apprentices on all Commonwealth priority projects, because we know local jobs need to be put first.
4. Invest in pre-apprentice programs to help up to 10,000 young jobseekers start their apprenticeships.
5. Establish an Advanced Entry Adult Apprenticeships program to fast-track apprenticeships for up to 20,000 people who are facing redundancy or whose jobs have been lost.
Only Labor will provide more opportunity for Tasmanians of all ages to gain the skills they need to get good quality jobs.
ROSS HART MP MEMBER FOR BASS