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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-23 Daily Xml
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TAFE SA

Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. Can the minister advise what effect it would have on South Australian TAFE fees if the $33.5 million spent by the Premier on the International University Precinct were spent on keeping TAFE fees lower?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: it is a tad hypothetical.

The SPEAKER: It is very hypothetical. Minister, you may or may not choose to answer that question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister, sit down until there is some quiet. Minister, you may or may not answer that question. I am sure you have a brief answer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:00): It is a very broad-ranging question so I will give a very broad-ranging answer. The fact is that the government is investing $194 million over the next six years, which will create 100,000 extra training places in South Australia.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy Leader of the Opposition, be quiet!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: That is something that the government is intensely proud of. It will set the state's workforce so that they are ready to take advantage of the opportunities in mining, defence and high-end technology areas—all the areas where there are critical skill needs in South Australia. They can carry on about the small change as much as they want, the fact is that it pales into insignificance compared with the $194 million investment that this state is putting into upping our skill levels in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They can yap away like dogs all they want, but the fact is—

Mr PISONI: Point of order, I believe it is unparliamentary to refer to members as animals. I ask that it be withdrawn.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I won't uphold that point of order; the minister was speaking collectively. It is also unparliamentary to object across the chamber.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: If the opposition is offended, I am more than happy to withdraw. With regard to the issue of TAFE fees, it is difficult to compare TAFE fees from state to state. TAFE, in different states, charges its students differently. In South Australia, our TAFE fees are an entire fee. They include—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —materials as well as teaching charges. In other states, that is different; they have different charges for different things, so making a comparison state to state of TAFE fees is difficult. The fact is that South Australia is putting a record investment, the biggest ever, into training and skills. On top of that, we are investing a record amount of money in our training infrastructure with the new Tonsley development. All these things will take training and skills in South Australia to a new level.

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