As a former TAFE teacher for more than a decade, Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips has welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s weekend announcement that, under the Albanese Government, fee-free TAFE would be here to stay.

“I can honestly say I am thrilled that fee-free TAFE will be locked-in and made permanent across the country,” Mrs Phillips said.

“We will legislate to guarantee 100,000 fee free TAFE places each and every year and I know first-hand, having taught in Outreach at TAFE for over ten years, that this will absolutely change lives.

“I taught people that had never worked outside of their home before and it was TAFE that started them on a pathway into courses such as aged care and community services. 

“We know that fee-free TAFE is working, and has exceeded all expectations, which is why it will be here to stay.

“Since fee-free TAFE started in January 2023 to 30 June 2024, we’ve seen more than 508,000 enrolments in courses in priority areas, including disability and aged care, digital and tech, construction and early childhood education and care.”

Mrs Phillips said fee-free TAFE was helping people from priority cohorts, with 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 job seekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians enrolling in the program.

“It’s also really great to see six in 10 places have been taken up by women, and one in three have been in regional and remote Australia, including Gilmore,” she said.

Mrs Phillips said the proposal would restore TAFE New South Wales back to its former glory, before it was “decimated” by the former Liberal State Government.

“I was proud to work for TAFE and see how lives were being changed for the better, but after a while, I’ll tell you what I saw at TAFE - a Liberal Government that Andrew Constance was a part of, that gutted TAFE,” she said.

“Under the Libs, the TAFE Nowra Campus was looking more like a morgue. 

“Under the Libs, campuses were closed, courses were slashed, enrolments dropped and more than 5000 teachers were cut from TAFE.

“So, it should come as no surprise that the Liberals labelled our fee-free TAFE ‘wasteful spending’

“That is shameful. Shameful because we need tradies to build the housing for our future. We need people to care for our youngest and oldest Australians.”

Mrs Phillips said fee-free TAFE was helping fill gaps in industries with high need.

“Since coming to government, I have witnessed how our fee-free TAFE is making a real difference locally - at Nowra, Moruya and Ulladulla TAFE campuses.

“Trade courses such as carpentry and electrical are booming in Gilmore.

“My husband is a carpenter and small business owner who did his training at Nowra TAFE. And I have two sons that are apprentice carpenters. And I can say they are all hugely busy. 

“Our fee-free TAFE builds for the future, so we have the tradies to build and upgrade houses, workers to care for people and apprentices to help grow our small businesses. 

“Our fee-free TAFE benefits everyone in Australia.”

The Albanese Labor Government will introduce legislation to establish Fee-Free TAFE as an enduring feature of the national vocational education and training system, funding 100,000 Fee-Free TAFE places a year from 2027.

This builds on the Albanese Government partnership with states and territories to deliver 180,000 Fee-Free TAFE places in 2023; 300,000 places over three years from 2024; and agreements being finalised for a further 20,000 construction and housing Fee-Free places.

Photo: Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips chats to apprentice mechanic Najara Peters at Batemans Bay Automotive Repairs.

Media contact: Katrina Condie 0437 662 967