National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. When did his government and the commonwealth agree that there would be changes to the conditions of the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:33): Well, I did enjoy the intervention from the good senator, Senator Birmingham. He has obviously read the front page of the paper and decided it was important. Maybe he got a phone call. Anyway, he read the front page of the paper and he decided that something awful must be happening in South Australia because the paper told him so. So, he is then on the radio threatening to tear up a national partnership agreement.

Of course, we immediately contact our counterparts in the federal bureaucracy and say, 'Well, we've written to you about this. This is consistent with your national reform agenda.' They did not know anything about the minister's remarks. They could not see that there was any breach of the national partnership agreement in what we had announced. It seems like the good Senator might have gone off a little half cocked, which is a bit unfortunate, and—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: It's not the first time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Not the first time. Of course, there is a precedent—

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned, not a first time but a second time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There is a precedent for this. They did tear up a range of national partnership agreements at the last federal budget; indeed, one on training: $45 million was cut out of the South Australian sector in terms of the training budget—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is very close to going out.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The national partnership agreement has been complied with in its terms in all respects. There has been no breach of the national partnership agreement. Indeed, we are acting in furtherance of the national partnership agreement. For those opposite, if they are actually interested in this point, the national partnership sets out milestones and key outcomes. Targets for the number of qualifications completed have been significantly exceeded. Structural reform milestones in relation to information, transparency, access, equity, quality, efficiency and responsiveness have been met.

Indeed, it is estimated that cumulative completions for the three years to 2014 were more than six times the target set out in the national partnership. Higher qualification targets for equity groups have also been exceeded. The implementation of WorkReady will continue, with measures aimed at achieving the milestones over the next two years of the partnership. So, in all respects we are meeting our obligations to the commonwealth. Perhaps this is one of those areas that the much-publicised review of the Liberal Party might touch on when they start to engage in some policy formulation. Maybe this is an area where they might set down—because what we have not heard in all of this debate is what the Liberal Party's position is on TAFE and training reform.

Ms REDMOND: Point of order, Mr Speaker: that surely is debate.

The SPEAKER: Yes. I uphold the member for Heysen's point or order. Leader.