Tertiary Education and Training

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about tertiary education and training.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: South Australia's Strategic Plan Target 93 seeks to increase the proportion of South Australians participating in tertiary education and training to 17 per cent by 2016. However, in South Australia's Strategic Plan Progress Report 2012 it was only a 1.7 per cent increase in the proportion of South Australians participating. Will the minister provide an explanation for why there was such a small increase in the proportion of South Australians participating in tertiary education and training in the year stated?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for his question. Is the target you refer to No. 93; that is, increase the proportion of those aged 15 to 64 in tertiary education and training to 17 per cent by 2016? The report that I have on that is that we have had positive movement in relation to achieving that strategic target and that we are on track to achieve it. That is the latest report I have. I will again double-check that that is the most up-to-date information, but the report I have is that we are doing well in that space.