SKILLS FOR ALL

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister inform the house about the Skills for All reforms and how they compare with the recent reforms of the vocational education and training sector in Victoria?

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:53): I thank the member for her question and for having quite a keen interest in vocational education and training. I am very pleased to be able to answer this question. The state government's Skills for All reforms provide a blueprint for getting more South Australians into vocational education and training and will ensure that South Australians have the skills required for jobs now and in the future.

Members may be aware that in recent years the Victorian government introduced a range of reforms to the vocational education and training system. While our Skills for All reforms have some similarities with the reforms made in Victoria, there are some significant differences. These differences are designed to protect the strengths and the continuing success of the South Australian vocational and educational training sector.

Vocational education and training in South Australia has a reputation for quality which must be protected. That is why the most important difference will be our strong focus on quality training. Registered training organisations who want to be Skills for All providers and receive public funding will need to demonstrate that they meet a range of additional and rigorous assessment criteria over and above the registration standards.

Our quality standards will set South Australia apart from the Victorian situation. We also know that for many people the greatest challenge to pursuing vocational education and training is making the first steps. As a consequence, we are making it easier for South Australians to enter training for the first time. From July this year there will be no tuition fees for certificate I and II courses. This will mean that approximately 26,000 South Australians will benefit from not having to pay student tuition fees. There will also be no student tuition fees for foundation courses for those needing English proficiency, language and literacy skills, and numeracy skills required as a pathway for further training. This is in contrast with Victoria where the government does not fully subsidise foundation level courses or training up to and including certificate II level.

Legislation will soon be introduced to establish TAFE SA as a single statutory authority comprised of three TAFE SA institutes which will ensure that the system-wide benefits of TAFE SA are preserved. By contrast, all Victorian institutes compete against each other for students and revenue. There are almost 20 TAFE institutes and TAFE divisions of universities competing alongside private providers for students and contestable government funding in Victoria. Unlike Victoria, Skills for All will introduce restrictions on maximum and minimum course fees that Skills for All training providers can charge. These restrictions will prevent training providers from overcharging students while ensuring that training providers cannot offer training at artificially low prices to corner the market. Importantly funding will be provided for courses that respond to the skills demands of business, industry and the state economy.

The Skills for All reforms will encourage more South Australians to enter vocational education and training and encourage more South Australians to improve their skill levels. This is good for South Australians, good for industry and good for the state's economy.