Radio Interview - Alex Easton, ABC Sunshine Coast

ALEX EASTON, HOST: Queensland Training Minister Ros Bates has accused the Federal Government of backing away from an election promise to maintain Fee-Free TAFE in Queensland.

(Excerpt)

ROS BATES, QUEENSLAND MINISTER FOR FINANCE, TRADE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING: They said it was locked in, they ran a scare campaign about it, and yet the Federal Labor Government has proposed an agreement to Queensland which would leave Queensland $208 million worse off. The agreement that Canberra wants us to sign up to will put around 11,000 Free TAFE placements at risk, and that works out to be about $199 less per person in funding. So I have written to my federal counterpart, Andrew Giles, with a very simple request: hold up your end of the bargain on Fee-Free TAFE and don't cut Queensland's future. Queensland already funds 70 per cent of Fee-Free TAFE. The feds also currently fund 100 per cent of the fee gap and now they want to cut this to 50 per cent. So that means that either the students themselves will have to find that gap money or the state will have to find that gap money.

[Excerpt ends]

EASTON: That's Queensland Training Minister Ros Bates speaking there. I mean, this suggestion that 11,000 fee-free placements could be at risk is pretty alarming, especially given Queensland's struggling to overcome some pretty serious skill shortages in critical areas, areas like construction, health, disability care. So what's the deal? Federal Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles joins you now. Andrew Giles, you heard Ros Bates there saying the new Commonwealth funding proposal would leave the state $208 million worse off and put around 11,000 Fee-Free TAFE places at risk. Is she wrong?

ANDREW GILES, MINISTER FOR SKILLS AND TRAINING: Yes. Ms Bates' comments are complete nonsense. And let me be absolutely crystal clear about this: the Albanese Government is not cutting Free TAFE. It was the Albanese Government that delivered Free TAFE from which so many Queenslanders have benefited. It's the Albanese Government who've enacted Free TAFE into law as a permanent program and we are funding it. We legislated to make this permanent and we're now engaging in negotiations with every state and territory to secure a new agreement to make sure that Queenslanders and people right around Australia can continue to get the skills they want to do the jobs we need. Now, whatever the Queensland Government is doing is an absolute mystery to me, but it's really concerning to me to think that there are Queenslanders out there who think they might miss out on Free TAFE because of what the Crisafulli Government has been saying. We are absolutely committed to Free TAFE. We'll keep working with the Queensland Government and governments right around Australia to ensure that it keeps delivering for Australians.

EASTON: Now, it would be very unusual for a state government to complain about being given more money or about funding being maintained at the level they were previously happy with. So what is changing?

GILES: We're giving them more money. It's as simple as that.

EASTON: You're saying that Ros Bates is complaining about getting more money.

GILES: That’s exactly right. I genuinely do not understand, other than the politics of this or the perceived politics of this, what the Queensland Government are doing. It's very unusual, as you say, for a state or territory to behave in this manner. And particularly what I don't understand is you'd appreciate, and I'm sure your listeners would appreciate, how negotiations play out. An offer is made, we've got highly skilled officials in the Commonwealth, and I know there are excellent officials in Queensland who should be working through the detail of this agreement to ensure that everyone can benefit from Free TAFE. Having an argument play out like this in public is in no one's interest. My commitment is on delivering the agreement and delivering that agreement that's based on facts and values.

EASTON: So when you say the federal government, like the new proposal is to give the states more money and to give Queensland more money, is that like more money overall or is it more money in a different part of the pie? Because Ros Bates refers specifically to the fee gap, saying the federal government covered 100 per cent of that and the new proposal would halve that to 50 per cent. So that's not correct?

GILES: No, no, it's not. Look, what we are doing is offering the Queensland Government $188 million over the next five years, which is a larger sum than what has been offered in the current Free TAFE agreement. Now, obviously, the Queensland Government operates its TAFE system. Now, how it does so is a matter for the Queensland Government. But let me just make this, all states are receiving the same amount per place on both funding and places being distributed on a population share. Only Queensland has been conducting itself in this manner.

EASTON: Is there a gap between what the Commonwealth is offering and what the Queensland State Government had asked for?

GILES: The Queensland State Government had not asked for anything. We have put an offer on the table. That's what's so bizarre about this, frankly, and so disappointing on behalf of Queenslanders who should be able to benefit from governments working in partnership, as I am, let me be very clear, committed to doing. Because every Australian, every corner of our country should be able to benefit from Free TAFE. That's why we introduced it. That's why we made it permanent.

EASTON: So then what's been happening in the discussions between yourself and Ros Bates? Because this has been going for a good couple of weeks now.

GILES: Look, I've got to say, I've received a letter. To be very clear, I don't accept almost any of the claims contained in that letter. I've responded to it. Our staff will be discussing this matter later today. I think I'm catching up with Minister Bates on Wednesday. I'm committed to reaching an agreement, but it will be an agreement in the national interest as well as in the interests of Queenslanders.

EASTON: So how confident can a student thinking about going to TAFE to study or to train for one of these critical industries be that they're not going to end up with a bill that they can't afford?

GILES: We are committed to Free TAFE and the proof is in the pudding because we introduced Free TAFE. We introduced a bill to make it ongoing and permanent. The LNP voted against that bill in in the Federal Parliament. These are things that are on the public record, as is our financial commitment to Free TAFE. 

EASTON: And that's Federal Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles.