With this year’s final sitting of Federal Parliament underway in Canberra, Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips is calling on the opposition to support Labor’s Fee-Free TAFE Bill.

She said, by not supporting the Bill, the Liberal party was out of touch with young people and ignoring the education needs of people living in regional areas like the South Coast.

“As a proud former TAFE teacher and a mum of two apprentice chippies, I take every opportunity to champion TAFE, and to celebrate the successes of our wonderful TAFE students,” Mrs Phillips said.

“Last week I was thrilled to meet two inspiring young locals as we welcomed home the Australian Skillaroos from the WorldSkills International Competition in France.

“The competition shines a light on TAFE students like Michael Bowen, an apprentice at QinetiQ Air Affairs at Nowra who competed in the Industrial Mechanics event.

“It celebrates the excellence and innovation of TAFE students, like Michael, on the world stage.

“I was also thrilled to meet former gold-medal-winning Skillaroo Jyothi Collins, who works at Georgie’s Fine Jewellery at Batemans Bay, and was chosen as the competition’s jewellery expert of the year. How good is that!

“These two students demonstrate just how learning at TAFE can change lives and put young people on a pathway to success.”

Mrs Phillips said, if local school leavers wanted to become a tradies, child carers, nurses, computer programmers or even cyber security experts, TAFE provided that opportunity.

She said the Liberals had “made it clear that they will scrap Fee-Free TAFE”.

“More than 4,400 people in Gilmore have taken up fee-free TAFE, and I am extremely disappointed, but not surprised, that Peter Dutton and the Liberals will not support our Fee-Free TAFE Bill,” she said.

“They are showing their absolute disregard for young people and families in regional areas, and are completely out of touch with the needs of young Australians.

“The Liberals are refusing to allocate a dollar towards the thousands of hardworking Australians who are getting the skills they need for the jobs they want.”

Mrs Phillips recently visited the Nowra TAFE campus with the Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles where they spoke with students in electrical and carpentry classes.

“We heard how our fee-free TAFE is providing that bit of important financial relief, and also allowing people to retrain,” she said.

“It’s fantastic to see these classes booming in Nowra, and it was very reassuring to hear stories from the students about how and why they chose an apprenticeship and how fee-free TAFE is helping.”

Mrs Phillips said she was pleased to see the TAFE Certificate II Aeroskills course was also fee-free and on offer at Nowra TAFE, which encouraged local people to seek a career as an avionics maintainer in the defence industry.

Last month joined joined the Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles to meet apprentice motor mechanics and carpenters in Batemans Bay.

“We chatted to apprentices about how TAFE is helping them build the skills needed to meet gaps in the workforce,” she said.

“I’ve been on the ground talking to students. I’ve been on the ground talking to employers and apprentices and I can tell you, fee-free TAFE it is working.

“I’ve listened to young people who are training at TAFE’s Nowra, Ulladulla and Moruya campuses, and listened to adults who are retraining and gaining new skills.

“So many people in Gilmore are reaping the real rewards of fee-free TAFE and I want to see that continue.”

Mrs Phillips said the Albanese Government’s plan to make Fee-Free TAFE permanent with 100,000 free TAFE places each year, would help South Coast kids and reduce the financial pressures on them and their families.

“As long as there is a Labor Government, Fee-Free TAFE is here to stay,” she concluded.

Photo 1: Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips congratulates Nowra Skillaroo Michael Bowen during a breakfast at Parliament House.

Photo 2: Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips with jewellery expert, Jyothi Collins from Batemans Bay, during the Skillaroo breakfast at Parliament House.