Federal member for Ballarat Catherine King has today slammed Pauline Hanson’s deal to deliver $65 billion in tax cuts for the big end of town in exchange for 1000 apprenticeships as a pathetic con job.
Since the Liberals and Nationals came to government Australia has lost over 140,000 apprenticeships – a decline of over 35 percent.
In Ballarat alone there here have been more than 1,219 apprenticeships lost under this government. This equates to a massive 37% decline in Ballarat apprenticeship numbers.
One Nation have been bought off with an empty promise to replace less than one per cent off the apprenticeships that have been lost under the LNP government.
“The Turnbull government has no plan to arrest the decline in apprentice numbers,” Ms King said.
The 2017 Budget cut a further $637 million from TAFE training and apprenticeships and their proposed ‘Skilling Australians Fund’ – supposed to deliver 300,000 apprenticeships – has been widely panned as unworkable.
In contrast, Labor has a comprehensive and fully funded plan that will support TAFE and boost apprentice numbers across the country.
The Turnbull- Hanson deal will do next to nothing to arrest the decline in apprentice numbers and should be seen for the smokescreen that it is.
25 MARCH 2018