❓ Mrs. Maynard asks the Premier how the government's investment in fee-free TAFE is delivering jobs. Mr. Cook highlights job growth since 2017 and the expansion of fee-free TAFE courses, particularly in construction, to address skills shortages and support economic growth.
AnsweredQoN 178Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Job creation—Fee-free TAFE courses178.Mrs Michelle Maynardto the Premier:I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to
creating new local jobs so that Western Australia continuesto lead the nation.
Can the Premier update the house on how the government's investment in fee-free
TAFE is delivering jobs for the future?
creating new local jobs so that Western Australia continuesto lead the nation.
Can the Premier update the house on how the government's investment in fee-free
TAFE is delivering jobs for the future?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
29 May 2025
Response time
0 days
Mr Roger Cook replied:I thank the member
for the question. The WA Labor government has of course been a huge champion of
local jobs. Since 2017, nearly 340,000 jobs have been added to the Western
Australian economy. I want to provide some context on this for members. Our jobs
growth over the last eight years is more than Tasmania's entire labour force of
282,000. It is more than the entire population of the Northern Territory at
just 255,000 and it is more than the entire national workforce of the Coles and
Woolworths Groups put together—Woolies, 201,000 and Coles, 115,000. This
is another example of how we are the strongest economy in the nation and we are
the jobs growth capital of the nation.Several members
interjected.Mr Roger Cook:We are working every day to ensure that
there is no better place in the world to get a quality job, ensuring everyone
has access to job opportunities, no matter what their circumstances and no
matter where they live. A key part of that is training the next generation of
workers, making sure we not only have the jobs of today, but the workforce with
the skills to take on the jobs of the future.This morning, I had
the pleasure of meeting some of the next generation of tradies at Balga TAFE
with the member for Mirrabooka and the Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister
Sanderson. We met some of our up-and-coming plumbers. My mother said, "If
you're going to do anything in your lifetime, become a plumber. You'll have a
job for life"! They are among the cohort that will benefit from the
extension of our free and low-fee training at TAFE in 2026. It is part of a
$100 million investment in the upcoming budget to ensure Western Australians
can continue to upskill without a financial burden. Fee-free TAFE is and
continues to be a game changer for thousands of Western Australians. To date,
in 2025, there have been more than 28,000 enrolments in fee-free qualifications
and short courses. That is an outstanding outcome. Fee-free TAFE is breaking
down financial barriers to training. Depending on the course, a young person
and their family could save literally thousands of dollars in getting their
qualifications.Our investment will
make seven additional building and construction courses fee-free in 2026. They
include plumbing, plastering, bricklaying, civil construction, and wall and
ceiling lining. Each are essential to our plan to build more homes and health
infrastructure in Western Australia. They will also be part of growing sectors
like renewables, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence industries. Fee-free
TAFE is breaking down financial barriers to training. It is creating equality
of opportunity, which is a fundamental tenet of the WA Labor Party. Depending
on the courses, it could save a young person and their family, as I said,
literally thousands of dollars. We want all Western Australians to have the
opportunity to train at our TAFEs—world-leading TAFEs—so they
can take up well-paying, rewarding jobs in their communities and benefit from
our booming economy. Mr Speaker, it is also so that we can make sure we have
the workers to make more things here.
Job creation—Fee-free TAFE courses
for the question. The WA Labor government has of course been a huge champion of
local jobs. Since 2017, nearly 340,000 jobs have been added to the Western
Australian economy. I want to provide some context on this for members. Our jobs
growth over the last eight years is more than Tasmania's entire labour force of
282,000. It is more than the entire population of the Northern Territory at
just 255,000 and it is more than the entire national workforce of the Coles and
Woolworths Groups put together—Woolies, 201,000 and Coles, 115,000. This
is another example of how we are the strongest economy in the nation and we are
the jobs growth capital of the nation.Several members
interjected.Mr Roger Cook:We are working every day to ensure that
there is no better place in the world to get a quality job, ensuring everyone
has access to job opportunities, no matter what their circumstances and no
matter where they live. A key part of that is training the next generation of
workers, making sure we not only have the jobs of today, but the workforce with
the skills to take on the jobs of the future.This morning, I had
the pleasure of meeting some of the next generation of tradies at Balga TAFE
with the member for Mirrabooka and the Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister
Sanderson. We met some of our up-and-coming plumbers. My mother said, "If
you're going to do anything in your lifetime, become a plumber. You'll have a
job for life"! They are among the cohort that will benefit from the
extension of our free and low-fee training at TAFE in 2026. It is part of a
$100 million investment in the upcoming budget to ensure Western Australians
can continue to upskill without a financial burden. Fee-free TAFE is and
continues to be a game changer for thousands of Western Australians. To date,
in 2025, there have been more than 28,000 enrolments in fee-free qualifications
and short courses. That is an outstanding outcome. Fee-free TAFE is breaking
down financial barriers to training. Depending on the course, a young person
and their family could save literally thousands of dollars in getting their
qualifications.Our investment will
make seven additional building and construction courses fee-free in 2026. They
include plumbing, plastering, bricklaying, civil construction, and wall and
ceiling lining. Each are essential to our plan to build more homes and health
infrastructure in Western Australia. They will also be part of growing sectors
like renewables, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence industries. Fee-free
TAFE is breaking down financial barriers to training. It is creating equality
of opportunity, which is a fundamental tenet of the WA Labor Party. Depending
on the courses, it could save a young person and their family, as I said,
literally thousands of dollars. We want all Western Australians to have the
opportunity to train at our TAFEs—world-leading TAFEs—so they
can take up well-paying, rewarding jobs in their communities and benefit from
our booming economy. Mr Speaker, it is also so that we can make sure we have
the workers to make more things here.
Job creation—Fee-free TAFE courses
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.