Construction Industry Training Fund (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 1 May 2024.)

Mr ODENWALDER: Sir, I draw your attention reluctantly to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:24): I am very pleased to have the opportunity to commence my remarks on the Construction Industry Training Fund (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill. I am the lead speaker for the opposition. I indicate that the opposition is still consulting on this bill. It is a substantial reform, and I have no concerns about the government's approach in this matter. They have provided a briefing.

I understand that there is not an intention to complete the debate this afternoon—in the six minutes remaining—so I will commence my remarks, propose to seek leave in a little while, and then the opposition will continue its consultations over the next three weeks, and hopefully we can resolve the matter before the budget. I understand from the minister that the government is eager to resolve the bill through the house prior to the winter break if possible, and I am sure that the opposition will be able to work with government to achieve that end.

For all of the industry bodies that have so far provided their feedback to the opposition, I express my thanks but indicate that, given that we were briefed in the middle of last week and I sent out letters the following day, I certainly have not expected responses by now. I am expecting that we will get a lot more feedback by the end of the month.

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Brown): Members, the member for Morialta will be heard in silence. If people wish to be somewhere else, then please feel free to go there.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I do not anticipate any divisions imminent, if that helps. Quorums are a matter for the government if they want to call them, but I think we will be okay. I think we will all be friends for the next few minutes. I anticipate there will be some positives in the reforms that we will be able to make clear that the opposition supports, and I anticipate that there will be some issues that we will take with the bill.

I highlight that the government has chosen a very different approach when it comes to their proposed composition of the Construction Industry Training Board. When it comes to such boards, the Liberal Party has favoured over an extended period of time having a very strong skills base to the board and obviously a relevant and appropriate representation of various people with expertise in particular industries as necessary.

The government—it is a Labor government; the Labor Party being the political wing of the union movement—the Labor Party tends to favour boards that have union membership on them. I do not say that to be provocative. It is just a statement of fact, and this bill proposes to quadruple the number of union members on the board. I am not sure that the Liberal Party will agree that that is a step that is necessary. I highlight that that is an area where we are likely to have further conversations. I doubt that will come as a galloping shock or surprise to the minister or anyone else.

I want to take this unique and special opportunity I have been given this afternoon to particularly thank those members of the Construction Industry Training Board, who currently serve the CITB, and place on the record the thanks of the Liberal Party to those members. I make no particular comment on any of the individuals. Some of them have been members for an extended period of time, some of them are more recent additions, but I recognise John Chapman, the Presiding Member; Andrew Clarke, who is not only on this board but also the CEO of the Master Plumbers South Australia and does an outstanding job representing that organisation; Cassie Manser; Gary Henderson; John Adley; Mardi Conduit; Maree Wauchope; Rebecca Pickering; Stephen Knight; and Will Frogley.

Many of these are people with whom the chamber would be more than familiar, because in many cases they represent significant industry bodies, some of them unions. I guess I want to highlight with this opportunity the elevated status that the Construction Industry Training Board plays in both the construction industry and the training sector. These reforms are substantial. They merit our serious consideration, and I am pleased that the government has indicated that we are likely to have a little bit more time to give them our full consideration.

Nevertheless, what I expect over the next two to three weeks is that we will hear that more fulsome feedback from those stakeholders, because, when it comes to the operations of the Construction Industry Training Board, in my experience I think what the industry most wants to have certain is the strategic approach towards ensuring there is a trained workforce that has the skills base that they need.

I think that sometimes people in associations can get caught up in a project and can get caught up in something with a badge on it. Some of those projects are very worthy, but what we need from this board going forward is a healthy interaction with both government and industry to ensure that the application of their funds towards training outcomes is getting great bang for buck for the industry—the industry, of course, which spends a lot of money that is then expended by the CITB.

Those stakeholders will be taken very seriously by the Liberal Party, and I look forward to those contributions in the coming weeks. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

At 17:30 the house adjourned until Tuesday 4 June 2024 at 11:00.