Interview - Amelia Searson, ABC Radio Darwin Mornings
AMELIA SEARSON, HOST: TAFE is getting wheels in the NT – in harder to reach parts of the NT – with four new projects set to take training out to remote communities. And the courses are aimed at filling some of the Territory’s most pressing workforce gaps. Andrew Giles is the Federal Minister for Skills and Training. Good morning, Andrew. Welcome to the Top End.
ANDREW GILES, MINISTER FOR SKILLS AND TRAINING: Good morning, Amelia. Great to be back here.
SEARSON: How are you finding, it’s a bit muggy this morning.
GILES: Look, I went for a run. It’s a bit harder running up here than it is in Melbourne, I can tell you that.
SEARSON: Gosh, you’ll be breaking records when you go back down south after doing some running up here, I can say that confidently. So obviously, apart from running up here, what else brings you to the Top End? What are you announcing, Minister?
GILES: Well I’m announcing, further to the Prime Minister at Garma last year making a big commitment of $31 million to support Mobile TAFE to get into remote and regional communities. So I’m really excited that we’re announcing $6.9 million to support some projects in the Territory – projects developed in partnership with the Northern Territory Government, recommended by the government, in partnership with local organisations to make sure that everywhere in the Territory, people can access the training that they need to get good local jobs that we’ve been needing for so long.
SEARSON: Successive governments have tried to boost these sorts of opportunities in the past. How is this, how's what you're announcing today, how are these projects going to make a difference?
GILES: We've been listening, and we understand that a real frustration often is that jobs that are done in communities are done by people who fly in and fly out or drive in and drive out. And we also know that so many barriers have prevented people from getting the training they want to do local jobs. We've addressed that in part through things like Free TAFE and our support for apprentices. But we also know that geography continues to be a barrier. So this recognises that and takes the training and the equipment needed for training in things like civil construction to communities, rather than expecting people to come into town to get that training.
SEARSON: So is the plan to train people in these sort of harder to reach areas and have them stay on country, stay out there? Or would they then move around to fill other workforce shortages in the Territory?
GILES: It's principally about getting training on country for jobs that we know need to be done in those communities. But if people do get those skills, of course, there's nothing holding them back from travelling right around the Territory and conducting that work, whether it's in construction, in health, in hospitality as well.
SEARSON: Who's going to be doing the training? Would they be living out on country, or would they be a bit more mobile?
GILES: There'll have to be a bit of mobility, because we know we've got to get the training to all corners of the Territory. So we're thinking about organisations like SJT Training, who I met with yesterday afternoon in Herbert, who are really excited about being supported to continue doing work they've been doing taking training to the country, filling gaps that have been there for a while. So organisations like that who understand communities, who also have a great record in delivering training – really pleased to be partnering with them.
SEARSON: How are you going to measure the success of these projects?
GILES: By the people who engage with the program and the qualifications they get. We think it should be benefiting around about 700 students each year, 700 learners – people who perhaps wouldn't otherwise be engaged in learning. So through their engagement in the first instance and then through their attaining qualifications, and fundamentally through sort of getting good jobs and contributing.
SEARSON: You are hearing from Andrew Giles, who is the Federal Minister for Skills and Training. Another thing I was keen to talk to you about this morning, Minister, was Charles Darwin University. We've obviously this year seen several bungles and it's been in the news. We keep hearing about these errors. There's a new Vice-Chancellor. Are you confident after everything that's been going on this year in the future of CDU?
GILES: Can I say first and foremost, my concern has been throughout this for those students whose qualifications might have been impacted and to acknowledge all of that uncertainty that's impacting them, their families and indeed their employers too, while we're working collectively to resolve this situation. In the Albanese Government, we expect and we set very high standards for qualifications across the VET sector. With that in mind, I’ve met regularly with CDU since these matters came to light. I'm very pleased, of course, that there's been an independent review undertaken, and I note that every one of those recommendations have been accepted by CDU. I've also been speaking regularly to my counterpart, Minister Hersey. I understand that she's put in place some other, or flagged some legislative changes as well as the other ones. So it's important that I think we're all working collectively to remedy this problem and to recognise the fundamental importance of CDU in delivering important training to Northern Territorians and to make sure that that training is of the highest standard.
SEARSON: And in terms of the funding side of things, it's my understanding the NT Government also partly funds CDU and they've got KPIs to ensure bang for buck. Is that something the federal government has in place as well, or something you'd consider?
GILES: I think there's a couple of things. I mean, CDU obviously is both a university, a higher education provider. What we've been talking about is its role as the principal public TAFE provider in the Northern Territory. Of course, that's administered by Northern Territory Government. But of course, CDU is also registered as a registered training organisation through ASQA, the Commonwealth regulator. That's principally our involvement as the Commonwealth Government. I’ve been speaking regularly to ASQA and its CEO about this, because we’ve got to make sure that CDU TAFE is back on track. We've been working very closely with them to ensure that the work to rectify these issues is underway and is fully implemented. I note that in very recent days, I think you've touched upon, CDU have appointed a new pro Vice-Chancellor to run CDU TAFE, a registered training organisation, sorry, an organisation that the government recognises as being capable of delivering vocational training.
SEARSON: I’ve got a question here, Minister. It’s a long one, so bear with me, but: “as a new private RTO, I went through an absolute horror application process where the regulator made the process extremely difficult and demeaning, and with the policies and process it is geared to reduce and discourage private RTOs across the board. But why is it that for the last three years, I’ve been referring industry and student complaints to ASQA about CDU and nothing has been done? Why do the public providers get a free ride, and a private RTO will get shut down, named and shamed if they even did one per cent of the mess CDU has done?”
GILES: I obviously can't comment on the individual instances, but can I say this, there should be no tolerance for a provider, public or private, who is not providing quality training. It's absolutely fundamental that when an Australian engages a tradesperson or someone else with a vocational qualification, they should be entitled to expect that they are fully qualified and have been appropriately assessed as being able to do the job. There have been a range of integrity issues that have been an issue in the vocational education and training sector. I'm really pleased that the regulator has appropriately cracked down on them, whether it's in the private sector or indeed in CDU, where issues have been identified in the public sector. What we need to do is to make sure that every Australian has full confidence in the qualifications that are being delivered. That's what I'm focused on, working obviously closely with the regulator.
SEARSON: We are coming up to the nine o'clock news. Minister, I have one more question for you. Off the back of One Nation securing another seat in Secret Harbour in southern WA, are you worried?
GILES: I'm focused always on making sure that I'm part of a government that is working hard to deliver for Australians – not focused on polls, not focused on issues in state by-elections, but recognising that Australians are doing it tough and they expect a government that listens and responds to their concerns. I feel very lucky to work with my colleagues to work on dealing with cost of living pressures that are impacting people day in, day out, and to make a real difference, delivering real change to the lives of Australians. That’s my focus.
SEARSON: Minister, thank you so much for your time this morning. Happy running.
GILES: Thanks, Amelia. Cheers.