❓ The Minister for Training responds to a question regarding the expansion of free period products to TAFE campuses, highlighting the government's investment in vocational training and contrasting it with previous policies.
AnsweredQoN 23Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAFE CAMPUSES — FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS
23. Ms M.J. HAMMAT to the Minister for Training:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to providing free period products to Western Australian
high school students.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the government is expanding on this initiative
within WA's training system?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this initiative can advance gender equality in WA
and reduce barriers to better educational and training outcomes for women and
girls?
23. Ms M.J. HAMMAT to the Minister for Training:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to providing free period products to Western Australian
high school students.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how the government is expanding on this initiative
within WA's training system?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this initiative can advance gender equality in WA
and reduce barriers to better educational and training outcomes for women and
girls?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
am very pleased to answer this question because I was previously the Minister
for Women's Interests and I was part of the announcement to provide
free period products in public high schools. That is now rolling out. I was
also very proud to be part of the announcement to provide free period products
in all TAFE campuses in this state. Thousands of TAFE students started or
returned to class last week, so it is great
to see that about half of the students who are under 21 should be able to focus
on what matters—doing their studies and gaining the skills they
need for the jobs of the future. We know that period products are not a luxury;
they are a necessity for girls and women, so, as I said, I am very proud of
this announcement. Those products will be provided via dispensing machines at
all TAFE campuses. I acknowledge TAFE lecturer Lizanne Dymond, who advocated
for this change, and also give a shout-out to Freo's own Lucy Peach,
who has championed this important initiative.
This government is making huge
investments in TAFE and vocational training generally and it is actually
working. As the Premier mentioned yesterday, more than 45 000 apprentices and
trainees are in training across the state. That is massive—45 000. It
is not just the number of commencements that are up; in fact, completions are
steadily increasing. From September last year, we had a 12 per cent increase in
the rate of completion by apprentices and
trainees. That means that 1 100 more apprentices and trainees completed their training last year than did in the year
before. Over the year, that is over 10 000 apprentices and trainees who
completed their training. These are massive numbers that I think we should be
very proud of.
It is part of a suite of investments
in subsidising training courses and in capital infrastructure across our state. Many will know that we launched Free in '23.
In fact, try saying ''Fee free in '23'' after having a few drinks—it can be quite good fun! Over 100 courses for skill sets
and qualifications are now on that list and fees for other courses have been
slashed by 72 per cent. It is a massive message that we are sending out to the
community and both young people and old people. People who have been disengaged
from the workforce and are thinking about coming in, people who are thinking
about changing careers and people who feel that they are underemployed but who
feel that by doing these qualifications they might get more work are the people
we want to send that message to: go to your local jobs and skills centre, get
some advice and enrol at TAFE or a registered training organisation.
This investment, this concentration,
this celebration of our vocational skill sets sector is in sharp contrast to
what the other side did. What happened there? We had a huge increase in fees of
up to 500 per cent—a fivefold fee increase. It was absolutely shameful.
It resulted in a 23 per cent drop in TAFE enrolments. It was absolutely
ridiculous. Of course, that has huge knock-on effects not just in the immediate
year, but also on the pipeline of people we are sending through. This
government is sending a message that we want TAFE to be accessible and we want
it to be available. Of course, we are saying that we are going to make period
products available to women and girls so that they can get on with getting
their skills and get some work in our workforce. We could say that this
announcement is about bloody time!
am very pleased to answer this question because I was previously the Minister
for Women's Interests and I was part of the announcement to provide
free period products in public high schools. That is now rolling out. I was
also very proud to be part of the announcement to provide free period products
in all TAFE campuses in this state. Thousands of TAFE students started or
returned to class last week, so it is great
to see that about half of the students who are under 21 should be able to focus
on what matters—doing their studies and gaining the skills they
need for the jobs of the future. We know that period products are not a luxury;
they are a necessity for girls and women, so, as I said, I am very proud of
this announcement. Those products will be provided via dispensing machines at
all TAFE campuses. I acknowledge TAFE lecturer Lizanne Dymond, who advocated
for this change, and also give a shout-out to Freo's own Lucy Peach,
who has championed this important initiative.
This government is making huge
investments in TAFE and vocational training generally and it is actually
working. As the Premier mentioned yesterday, more than 45 000 apprentices and
trainees are in training across the state. That is massive—45 000. It
is not just the number of commencements that are up; in fact, completions are
steadily increasing. From September last year, we had a 12 per cent increase in
the rate of completion by apprentices and
trainees. That means that 1 100 more apprentices and trainees completed their training last year than did in the year
before. Over the year, that is over 10 000 apprentices and trainees who
completed their training. These are massive numbers that I think we should be
very proud of.
It is part of a suite of investments
in subsidising training courses and in capital infrastructure across our state. Many will know that we launched Free in '23.
In fact, try saying ''Fee free in '23'' after having a few drinks—it can be quite good fun! Over 100 courses for skill sets
and qualifications are now on that list and fees for other courses have been
slashed by 72 per cent. It is a massive message that we are sending out to the
community and both young people and old people. People who have been disengaged
from the workforce and are thinking about coming in, people who are thinking
about changing careers and people who feel that they are underemployed but who
feel that by doing these qualifications they might get more work are the people
we want to send that message to: go to your local jobs and skills centre, get
some advice and enrol at TAFE or a registered training organisation.
This investment, this concentration,
this celebration of our vocational skill sets sector is in sharp contrast to
what the other side did. What happened there? We had a huge increase in fees of
up to 500 per cent—a fivefold fee increase. It was absolutely shameful.
It resulted in a 23 per cent drop in TAFE enrolments. It was absolutely
ridiculous. Of course, that has huge knock-on effects not just in the immediate
year, but also on the pipeline of people we are sending through. This
government is sending a message that we want TAFE to be accessible and we want
it to be available. Of course, we are saying that we are going to make period
products available to women and girls so that they can get on with getting
their skills and get some work in our workforce. We could say that this
announcement is about bloody time!
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