TAFE SA

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): Supplementary, sir: is the minister satisfied that all current TAFE qualifications are accredited appropriately?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (14:39): Accreditations of courses, regardless of whether they are offered by TAFE or by non-TAFE providers, are accredited until they are not. The honourable member has suggested that he had some information earlier that there are some difficulties with some TAFE courses. TAFE has not formally advised me of that. That doesn't mean to say that that information isn't present within TAFE and, having had that question raised, I will certainly be making inquiries.

I am aware that ASQA is the final authority for approving and accrediting courses. Some years ago, the state's responsibility for accreditation and for quality assurance was signed over to a federal body and all of the states have done that. There is work that has been done by ASQA with TAFE, as they do with non-TAFE. I will investigate further and bring back an answer to the chamber.