E&OE...
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A skilled workforce is vital if Australia is to maintain its current prosperity into the future. Workers with the right training and technical ability are critical to the future of our economy.
My Government has overseen a genuine revolution in skills and vocational training. We have provided more than $22 billion for skills and $12 billion to the states and territories for TAFE and vocational training since we came to office.
We have set about restoring the place of technical skills training in Australia, in doing so we are reversing one of the biggest mistakes this country has made - the devaluation of the status of a technical qualification.
While we have invested heavily over the years, our skills revolution is still a work in progress. Over the next four years, we have plans to spend a record $11.4 billion on vocational and technical training.
Our future plans include funding for 28 Australian Technical Colleges, subsidies and grants for apprentices and cash vouchers to help people obtain new qualifications.
It will help to further restore the role of the traditional trades into the future.
Today I am pleased to announce that the Government is rolling back another outdated impediment to a better skilled Australia.
Arrangements initiated through COAG have been finalised to allow electrical contractors to now move or work interstate using their current state-issued licenses.
Prior to this, electricians were required to obtain a new license if they wanted to work outside their home state.
That was an absurd 19th century system that had no place in 21st Century Australia.
To support the new arrangement, the Government has developed a website to help trades men and women check to see if they are able to work in another state or territory. You can look it up at licencerecognition.gov.au.
The Coalition Government is able to invest heavily in skills because our economy is strong and our Budget is healthy. It is another example of the human dividend of our prosperity for the future benefit of all Australians.
Listen to this Speech (MP3 - 2.11Mb - 138secs)