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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-03 Daily Xml
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National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:40): A supplementary question to the minister's answer and, in particular, her reference to phasing in over the next four years: how does that reconcile with the fact that the agreement concludes in 2017, which is only two years away?

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) (14:41): It does beggar belief. I have just outlined that at least 25 per cent of this year's subsidised training remains contestable. I have just explained how money from completions for the year after will be injected back into contestable new enrolment provision. What element of that explanation doesn't the Hon. Michelle Lensink understand?

Contestability continues to underpin WorkReady. It continues to remain a pillar. I am absolutely confident that WorkReady does comply with our national partnership agreement, and I think it is an outrage and a disgrace that the federal government are putting that money at risk by reneging. They are prepared to renege on an agreement, and we know that reneging on agreements is not foreign to this federal Liberal government.

Just before I came into the chamber, the commonwealth advised me that they have withdrawn from the national project agreement for remote Indigenous public internet access, training and maintenance for the APY lands, and that they will not be providing the agreed grant funding for the third year of the agreement, 2015-16. Shame! This will have a significant impact on the APY lands, where there are two internet access sites at Amata and Mimili. Those sites provide considerable community benefits, including local employment opportunities and digital literacy training, as well as access to online services and functions. Obviously, DSD will be working with the APY lands to find some way for them to transition through this, but it is a disgrace.

We see that the federal Liberal government finds it quite easy to simply renege on deals, walk away, and wash its hands. It cannot be trusted in these agreements. We also see that the minister and South Australian senator, Senator Birmingham, is prepared to withdraw money that goes to students for training outcomes so they can get jobs. That is the money he is threatening to withdraw: money that goes to students to help them train to achieve jobs. It is outrageous using that as a political football to blackmail students. It is a disgraceful and shameful thing that he is doing.

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