Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Corangamite MP Libby Coker have been joined by Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles to lock in Free TAFE for the Geelong Region.
Libby and Minister Giles met with students at Gordon TAFE this morning, to celebrate nearly 5,800 local enrolments in Free TAFE.
Labor is delivering the training Australians want, and they skills they need to get ahead.
The Liberals must come clean to the community and tell the truth about whether 5,775 Free TAFE students across the region will have their courses cut by the Coalition.
The Liberals have voted against making Free TAFE permanent for all Australians and Peter Dutton has confirmed huge cuts.
His Shadow Assistant Treasurer said: “We’ll spell out our reductions and what we’ll take to the election… we’ve said that we won’t do free TAFE.”
Peter Dutton has confirmed huge cuts and it’s clear Free TAFE is in the firing line: the Liberals have labelled Free TAFE as ‘wasteful spending’ and on top of that, Sussan Ley believes ‘if you don’t pay for something, you don’t value it.’
The Liberals have laid the groundwork for cuts to education and training.
Across the Corio and Corangamite electorates, there have been 5,775 Free TAFE enrolments since the program started.
That’s 5,775 opportunities to help build Australia’s future – in critical skills areas like construction, health and early childhood.
Since the Albanese Labor Government’s program started in 2023, there have been more than 108,400 Free TAFE enrolments in Victoria.
The most popular sectors across Victoria are:
- Care sector (more than 34,300 enrolments)
- Construction sector (more than 13,300 enrolments)
- Technology and Digital sector (more than 9,900 enrolments)
- Almost 6,000 enrolments in the Agriculture sector (nearly 6,000 enrolments)
- Early childhood education and care (more than 5,500 enrolments)
Examples of student fee savings include:
- A student at Gordon TAFE studying a Certificate IV in Cyber Security can save $6,790
- At Geelong City Campus - A Gordon TAFE student studying a Diploma of Nursing can save up $17,780
- A student at Gordon TAFE studying a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care can save $8,892
- A student at Gordon TAFE studying a Diploma of Building and Construction can save $16,125
Quotes attributable to Corangamite MP Libby Coker:
“Free TAFE is changing the lives of so many people across our region, from the Surf Coast to Armstrong Creek and across the Bellarine and Geelong region.
“I’ve spoken with countless locals who agree that Free TAFE is all about opportunity, fairness, and a stronger future for all Australians. It's about investing in our growing industries, like the care economy, clean energy, and housing construction, and ensuring more locals have the skills they need to thrive and a qualification to get ahead.
“Whether you are a young person looking for a new start, a mum trying to look after her kids and re-enter the workforce or a worker retraining for a new career, Free TAFE is about making sure you have the opportunity to get the skills you need without being held back by the cost.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles:
“The Liberals need to come clean and say if they’re going to cut Free TAFE.
“The people of these communities know that the Liberals have never cared about Free TAFE or the opportunities it provides Australians.
“They must come clean today and confirm if Free TAFE is safe, or if a coalition government would cut it.
“The Liberals have consistently labelled Free TAFE as ‘wasteful spending’ and, extraordinarily, Peter Dutton has said cutting ‘wasteful spending’ is part of his plan.
“When we came to government, we inherited the worst skills shortage in more than half a century after the Liberals ripped billions of dollars out of TAFE and closed training centres down around the nation.
“There is now a clear choice: the Liberals who will cut Free TAFE and the jobs that come with it, or Anthony Albanese and Labor who will lock Free TAFE into law and build Australia’s future.”
