Anika Wells
Lilley · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Eight years ago, this parliament came together in a bipartisan effort to ban what was then the primary form of foreign lottery operations in our market: lottery betting services.”
“It will be up to online platforms to implement these restrictions, and, if they choose not to, then the rules are clear: they can't show gambling ads at any time, to anyone. Sport ban The government is determined to act on the nexus that has formed between our love of the game and the push to gamble.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The recent statutory review of BetStop the National Self-Exclusion Register, tabled in February 2026, found only one in four people are aware that BetStop exists. And among people who placed a bet in the last 12 months, it was still only one in three.”
“But this critical service can be even stronger and more effective. The world is changing rapidly, and gambling companies are taking advantage of this.”
“Placing an obligation on digital services, including search engines and app providers, to block access and advertising to illegal gambling services online. 4.”
“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Introduction This bill will introduce a meaningful and impactful suite of reforms to protect Australians, particularly children and young people, from gambling harms.”
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“Between 10 past three and 6 pm, Emma's mum estimates that almost 3,000 kids had seen this fake naked photo, and, that night, Tilly attempted to take her own life. These harms are too great and too urgent for us not to act. While there are federal and state laws against the publishing and distributing of sexualised non-consensual deepfakes and AI generated child sexual abuse material, slimy predators are slipping through the cracks. The current landscape relies too heavily on victims reporting these issues once the harm has occurred. We have to move the burden of reporting from the shoulders of victims and stop the harm at the source. We have to hold big tech accountable for the technology they are delivering.”
“While AI has the power to move Australia forward, there is no place in our country for apps and technologies that are used solely to abuse, humiliate and harm people, especially our children. One child in every classroom in Australia has been the victim of deepfake abuse. Four out of five reported cases involve young girls. In one Melbourne case, investigators found 50 female students at a single high school were the victims of sexually explicit deepfakes. And the scale of harm is escalating, with reports to eSafety from people under the age of 18 doubling in the past 18 months. Today, I heard from a mum, Emma, whose daughter, Tilly, had a fake naked photo shared by schoolkids on the bus.”
“I thank the member for Hughes for the question—the best member for Hughes in 30 years. The Albanese government is taking world-leading action to reduce online harms experienced by young Australians, including passing historic legislation to delay access to social media until the age of 16. Today, I announce the next step in that mission: to restrict access to nudification and undetectable online stalking tools. There is a place for AI and legitimate tracking technology in Australia. But the problem facing Australians is that technology has no moral compass. Its capacity for good or for bad depends on who is using it. The rockets that launched the Apollo missions to the moon were the same rockets designed to deliver a nuclear weapon.”
“Australia should be immensely proud that, as a country, we are prioritising the online safety of our children and leading the world with these reforms.”
“There is no perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online, but our world-leading reforms will make a meaningful difference, which is why I was incredibly disappointed to see the coalition team up with the Greens and conservative conspirators to pass a motion in the Senate designed to sow doubt and fear about online age assurance. While the Greens and coalition seem to be teaming up to protect the interests of platforms with big tech talking points, the Albanese government is firmly on the side of parents. Online platforms can target children with chilling control, and now we are mandating they use that same control to give kids three more years to build real-world resilience.”
“It will allow families reprieve from the pervasive and persuasive pull of social media platforms. The onus will be on the platforms, not the parents, to make sure under-16s cannot access social media. Because, if social media companies are using our data for their own commercial benefit, I don't think it is too much to ask for them to also use that for the benefit of Australian kids and their safety online. This belief is backed by the findings of the 1,200 page age assurance trial, published today in full. The trial report shows that age assurance online isn't just possible, but it can be done privately, effectively and efficiently. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to age assurance online, there are a range of technologies that can keep kids off social media and protect them from violent and explicit content.”
“I thank the member for Canberra for her question, and I'm sure everybody in this place joins me in wishing her all the very best for the months ahead. We absolutely cannot wait for the next junior vice-undersecretary of Canberra to join us back in this place very soon. Today we have hit a significant milestone in the Albanese Labor government's mission to reduce online harms experienced by young Australians. We have 100 days to go until the start of our world-leading social media minimum age reforms. A hundred days until we give kids three more years to build real-world connections and online resilience; 100 days until our children are empowered to know who they are before platforms assume who they are. Delaying access to social media until the age of 16 will protect young Australians at a critical stage of their development.”
“This combination ensures connection is an evergreen challenge. This bill helps meet that challenge, helps keep Australians connected by cracking down on telecommunications providers who mistreat customers. It will deliver the community the services they need and deserve through a system that is fair and accountable. So no-one is held back and no-one is left behind. I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
“I would like to thank the Australian Telecommunications Alliance, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman for their ongoing engagement and support of these reforms, including their feedback following the previous introduction of the bill earlier in the year. The feedback from these stakeholders has meant we have improved the bill, providing clarity on consumer safeguards and processes for all parties. Conclusion This beautiful country we call home is intangibly unique. Australia is the world's largest island and the sixth-biggest country on Earth. Yet this vast nation holds just 3½ people per square kilometre, one of the world's lowest population densities.”
“The bill establishes a carriage service provider registration scheme. This reform gives ACMA visibility of who is operating in the market and the ability to prevent or remove providers who pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or cause consumer harm. It means everyone is playing by the same rules and those who do the right thing are not undermined by dodgy operators. Supporting fairness and trust Together, these reforms create a modern compliance framework that is fit for purpose. They support fairness by making sure that consumers are protected. They build trust by ensuring ACMA has the tools it needs to take quick action. They strengthen the industry by setting clear, consistent standards. Listening to stakeholders These reforms have been developed in consultation with industry, regulators and consumer advocates.”
“Until now, ACMA has been unable to take direct enforcement action against breaches of industry codes, no matter how serious, without issuing a direction to comply first, and then ACMA can only act if the noncompliance continues. This delays ACMA in taking action and can leave Australians exposed. This bill cuts through that. We are removing the two-step process, making industry codes directly enforceable. Greater visibility This bill also enables greater visibility of the carrier service market and carrier service providers operating in it. A carriage service provider is any provider who uses telecommunications carrier facilities—for example, transmission infrastructure, cabling or wireless networks—to supply telecommunications services like mobile phone or internet services to the public.”
“These stronger penalties mean no company will be able to treat fines as the cost of doing business, because there are and continue to be real-world examples of real-world harm, like the use of high-pressure sales tactics, misleading representations of service performance or inclusions, unfair billing practices and contract terms or targeting vulnerable customers creating further financial hardship. Through this bill the Albanese government sends a signal. Companies that engage in practices that put profits before people will be held to account financially. It helps our mission for no-one to be held back and no-one to be left behind. Faster enforcement This bill will also deliver faster enforcement of industry codes.”
“It was $250,000; it will be $10 million. And, in serious cases, it allows penalties to be calculated as three times the benefit obtained from the breach, or 30 per cent of the company's turnover. This brings telecommunications in line with other sectors like banking, energy and consumer law. The bill also expands and clarifies the Minister for Communications's authority to increase infringement notice penalties that ACMA can issue for breaches of industry codes, industry standards and service provider determinations.”
“These are just a couple of recent examples, but they are illustrative of the need to drive higher standards in this industry. That is why we are bringing this bill to parliament—to strengthen the safeguards that protect consumers. It ensures providers meet community expectations—this is acting in good faith, providing relievable service and supporting customers. But, if that doesn't happen, then Australians need an industry regulator they can rely on that has the power to hold telecommunications companies accountable. Stronger penalties This bill will deliver significantly stronger penalties for misconduct. Right now, under the current system, the maximum fine for breaching industry codes and standards is $250,000. This bill changes that. It raises the maximum penalty by 40 times: up to $10 million.”
“We want to see telecommunications companies do better. Earlier this year, the Federal Court ruled that Telstra made false or misleading representations relating to the upload speed of residential broadband internet services to nearly 9,000 of its Belong customers in 2020, off the back of court action by the ACCC. In June, Optus Mobile acknowledged it engaged in unconscionable conduct when selling telecommunications goods and services to hundreds of consumers, including those experiencing disadvantage and hardship, after court action brought by the ACCC. At the time, the ACCC deputy chair said: The conduct, which included selling inappropriate, unwanted or unaffordable mobiles and phone plans to people who are vulnerable or experiencing disadvantage is simply unacceptable.”
“That's why earlier this year the Assistant Minister for Social Services and I visited Juno, a respite centre for women experiencing violence to announce a mandatory telecommunications industry standard. The domestic, family and sexual violence industry standard makes lasting change for many victims-survivors who until now were forced to engage their abusers to call family, friends and even triple 0. This reform means victims-survivors will never be asked to engage with the alleged perpetrator to resolve their telecommunications issues. Telecommunications are critical to our everyday lives, so it's vital providers meet community expectations in delivering services—or be held to account by the industry regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, if they do not. That's what this bill is about.”
“We are investing $1.1 billion in the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia which ensures remote, rural and regional Australians benefit from advances in connectivity—with a pipeline of over 500 projects now funded. And this will be complemented by the agreement signed between NBN and Amazon to deliver city broadband speeds to the bush through low-Earth-orbit satellites. We are determined for Australia to be the most connected continent—for telecommunications to be an opportunity equaliser—rather than meander with a coalition copper approach that creates metro haves and rural have-nots. We are determined for Australians to be protected rather than exploited through telecommunications.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians connected, no matter where they live—from the Pilbara to Palm Island, from Broome to Bendigo. We believe in a simple principle: no one held back, no one left behind. To do that, we must crack down on the mistreatment of telecommunications customers. We know in 2025, connectivity is not a nice-to-have. It is a necessity. It is how people get to work. It is how kids keep up with their learning. It is how people can work from home. It is how older Australians stay in touch with loved ones. And in an emergency—it is how Australians stay safe. That's why the Albanese government is continuing to invest in services and in infrastructure.”
“There is no perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safe online, but the social media minimum age will make a meaningful difference. We are giving children three more years to build real-world connections and to build online resilience. There is a place for social media, but there is not a place for predatory algorithms that target young Australians.”
“Now, Australians are taking some of that control back. Here is what Australian parents had to say after the social media minimum age rules were tabled in the House yesterday. Alexandra said: 'I love these laws because it changes the conversations I have with my seven- and nine-year-olds and, hopefully, makes me less of a villain. It's the law. It makes it a little easier.' Jackie said, 'Parents cannot police these things entirely on their own, so having policies that support good practice is a relief.' Rebecca said: 'This feels like a step in common sense as a basic principle. I don't know if I'm the only one, but in the last decade it has felt like we are all spiralling a little, so this is refreshing.' Rebecca, you are not alone. We are all in this fight together, and the Albanese government has your back.”
“I thank the member for Bass for her question and for her beautiful first speech in this place. The Albanese government's social media delay is genuinely world-leading. It is the first of its kind to pass anywhere in the world. Australia should be immensely proud that, as a country, we have decided to prioritise the online safety of children and put families before platforms. This is Australian commitment at its best because, if it were easy, other countries would have done it already. A continent considered disconnected from the world is now showing the world that we can be safely connected. Social media connects us, it binds us, it fosters connection and social cohesion, but it is also used to abuse, control and harass. We know that social media platforms can target children with chilling control.”
“We accept that, but the social media minimum-age laws will make a meaningful difference. There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms that cause our children harm.”
“Four out of 10 Australian kids have had their most recent or most harmful experience on YouTube, and, on top of that, YouTube uses the same persuasive design features as other social media platforms, like infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithmic feeds. Against this content and these features ubiquitous across all social media platforms, our kids don't stand a chance, and that is why I accepted the eSafety Commissioner's recommendation that YouTube should not be treated differently from other social media platforms. I will not be intimidated by legal threats, when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids, a fight to help Mia, Rob and Emma change lives. There is no perfect solution when it comes to keeping younger Australians safe online.”
“In response to advice from the eSafety Commission, the online safety rules tabled today specify which types of online services will not be captured by the social media law, including health and education, messaging apps and games. These types of online services have been excluded from the minimum-age obligations because they pose fewer social media harms to under-16s or are regulated under different laws. We are implementing these rules and this law on behalf of parents who want and deserve better protections for their kids online, which is why I want to be clear about YouTube. I was required by the law to seek advice from the eSafety Commissioner on the draft rules, and the eSafety Commissioner's advice was clear.”
“I thank the member for Maribyrnong for her question. As a psychologist and a fierce advocate for Australian families, she knows the importance of the protection of the wellbeing of Australian kids. Give our kids 36 more months—it was a simple request for a complicated issue that has now created generational change. It was a request made by an army of 150,000 parents, like Mia, Rob and Emma, who came to this place today to take the next step on our collective mission to reduce online harms experienced by young Australians. Today the Albanese government again shows its commitment to putting families at the heart of our decision-making, tabling the rules of Australia's world-leading social media minimum-age laws.”
“Here's the thing, though: we're getting rid of fibre to the node, the coalition copper. We are ripping it up and we are replacing it with futureproof fibre to the premises. The Australian economy as whole will also benefit from scrapping the coalition copper, with a suggested cumulative GDP uplift of $10.4 billion over the next decade, because the Albanese government is finishing the job of building the publicly owned NBN.”
“Of course, the same cannot be said for those opposite. The coalition opposed the NBN at its inception, calling it a video entertainment system, and then tried to hobble it while in government. Because of those opposite we are still saddled with a large number of fibre-to-the-node connections—the coalition copper—and are spending billions of dollars to undo the opposition's short-sightedness. Sadly, nothing has changed when it comes to their connectivity policy. This is not a serious opposition. You only need to look at the media statement released by the coalition just last Tuesday, where they couldn't even name the right technology. The coalition media release said the Albanese government committed another $3 billion for the NBN, with a further roll out of fibre to the node, in January.”
“Those upgrades are on track to be completed by year's end, and this will mean that 90 per cent of the NBN fixed-line footprint will be able to access speeds of up to one gigabit per second. But there is still more to do, and that's why the government is contributing up to $3 billion for NBN Co to upgrade the final 622,000 premises within the fixed-line footprint from fibre to the node to faster technology. That means ripping up the old coalition copper and replacing it with high-speed, futureproof fibre. The economic benefit of these investments is clear. Having access to faster broadband could save consumers more than a hundred hours of travel time and $2,850 in costs per year. Labor has always envisaged a full-fibre NBN within the fixed-line network, and now we are making that a reality.”
“I thank the member for Bennelong for his question and I welcome him back to this place, where I'm sure he will continue to do very good things. The Albanese government's broadband philosophy is simple: we want it reliable, we want it affordable and we want it fast. These are the essential ingredients to boost productivity, create jobs and foster innovation. High-speed connectivity isn't a nice-to-have in 2025; it is a must-have. The only way to keep delivering quality broadband to more and more Australians is through our investment in the NBN—the publicly owned NBN. At the 2022 election, we committed to fund NBN Co to upgrade an additional 1.5 million homes to fibre to the premises.”
“We provided direct funding for specialist financial counselling to support people who are affected by problem gambling. We introduced new minimum classifications for video games with gambling-like content. We introduced new, evidence based taglines in wagering advertising. We introduced nationally consistent staff training and we established mandatory customer ID verification for online wagering. At the end of June 2025, I can give an update to the member for Curtin that BetStop has recorded 44,841 registrations, 39 per cent of whom have chosen a lifetime ban. That is good work, and that work now goes on.”
“I've been getting my feet under the desk, and as part of that work I have been taking meetings with harm reduction advocates, with the broadcasters and with the sporting codes to get my head around what the pathway looks like moving forward. I know that the Minister for Social Services and I have been working together on this, and we are committed to continuing the work of the previous ministers from the first term. That is very good work, because they were the most significant gambling harm reduction measures in Australian history. We banned the use of credit cards for online wagering. That is so significant. We launched BetStop, which is the national self-exclusion register. We forced online wagering companies to send their customers monthly activity statements to itemise their wins and their losses.”
“I thank the member for Curtin for her question and her genuine and ongoing commitment to reform in this area, and I know that's a commitment shared by all of the members of that standing committee of the 47th Parliament. I will assure the member for Curtin that that work goes on. This government has delivered the most significant online wagering harm reduction initiatives in a decade. That's what this government did last term, and that work continues. We take very seriously our responsibility to people affected by online wagering, particularly young people and particularly vulnerable people. Obviously, I'm the new communications minister.”
“With Labor 's investment in Medicare, they will be able to see a bulk-billing GP. With Labor's plan for cheaper medicine, they won't pay more than $25 for their PBS script. With Labor's investment in affordable housing, they will have more help to buy a home, with a lower deposit. The Albanese government is firmly focused on the issues that matter to Australians: easing the cost of living while fighting inflation, helping people earn more and cutting their taxes to help them keep more of what they earn. The only thing the coalition will not cut is your taxes.”
“But you wouldn't have known how important aged-care workers were based on what they were paid under consecutive coalition governments. For too long, women like Emma, Grace, Kamala, Salushana and Isha were undervalued and underpaid, and that's not because these jobs aren't skilled or important. It was because these jobs are predominantly done by women. In last night's budget the Treasurer announced another $2.6 billion to deliver pay rises to nurses working in aged care. That means that, since 2023, the Albanese government have invested $17.7 billion to increase the award wage for more than 400,000 aged-care workers. Under the Albanese government, registered nurses are earning an extra $430 a week; that is $22,000 a year. And, with Labor's tax cuts, they're keeping an extra $2,667 in their pockets.”
“I thank the member for Parramatta for his question and for his commitment to restoring dignity to all the recipients of aged care in his electorate. There aren't many jobs more important than those that our aged-care workers do. Being an aged-care worker is physically and emotionally draining work, and it's highly skilled work. I saw this firsthand during ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, when I visited Emma and her team in Mercy Community's services in Nudgee. In preparation for gale-force winds and torrential rain, Emma, Grace, Kamala, Salushana, Isha and others all packed their overnight bags and left their own homes to do double and sometimes triple shifts and even sleep over at the nursing homes to make sure that their residents got the care that they needed.”
“Whether it's TAFE, university, schooling or early education, the coalition have time and time again shown that they will not prioritise or support education in any form. They're against affordable early education. They're against student debt relief. They're against fee-free TAFE. They believe that education is a privilege that should be paid for. We disagree. By making this investment in early education, Labor is sending a clear message to young families across the country: we see you, we support you, we back you and we will always work to deliver better outcomes for you and your kids, because that is what Labor governments do. We help people under pressure and we build for the future. I thank the House.”
“Labor has also delivered a 15 per cent pay rise for early educators, to back our workers and ensure that these services are available. In a real sense, this means an educator who is paid at the award rate will receive a pay rise of at least $103 a week, with our early childhood teachers receiving an additional $166 a week. But the Albanese Labor government will not rest on its laurels or become complacent. We know there is more to be done. That is why we're also developing an early education service delivery price. This effort will allow for a better understanding of early education service delivery. It will underpin future reform. But as the Albanese government works towards universal early education that is high quality and accessible, the coalition only promise cuts.”
“This is not just a statistic to be cast aside; these are real outcomes for young families struggling to get by. And data from the Department of Education shows the number of children from low-income families accessing care went from around 32,000 in 2018 to around 6,500 in 2019. Put simply, those opposite let down those most in need. The Albanese government has taken a very different, positive, practical approach. We have boosted the childcare subsidy. We have delivered cheaper child care. This has already reduced the cost of early education and care for more than a million families in Australia, and almost 9,000 families in my own electorate of Lilley. For a typical family, this measure alone has cut the cost of child care by 17 per cent.”
“And it's not just other suburbs that will benefit; this three-day guarantee is part of a larger package that establishes a $1 billion building early education fund to build and expand childcare centres in areas of need, including in the outer suburbs and in the regions. Opportunity starts with education, and only Labor has a plan to ensure our kids get the start they deserve. The three-day guarantee builds upon Labor's work to untangle a decade of confusion and cuts under the coalition. Their notorious activity test created barriers to workforce participation, made the childcare system more complicated and ultimately made it harder for families to access support. The 2018 childcare package halved the number of subsidised hours of care that low-income families could access, from 48 hours to 24 hours, or just one day a week.”
“But, when I asked Dash what he values in Grace, he replied, 'Because Grace just loves us.' The Labor Party is working hard to ensure the likes of Grace, Camilla and Lara are better supported, and that commitment is exactly what this bill delivers, with all families guaranteed three days, or 72 hours, of childcare subsidy each fortnight and families caring for First Nations children guaranteed 100 hours each fortnight. This guarantee will secure an increase in support for over 100,000 young Australian families, with 66,000 expected to be better off in the first full financial year alone. Crucially, this is all to be achieved with no family being left worse off. The Albanese government will hold no-one back and we will leave no-one behind.”
“I rise today to support the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025 and wholeheartedly endorse the Albanese government's three-day guarantee. I'm proud to be part of a government that truly recognises the value of early education and is taking real steps to support young families across the country. I'm determined to see our little ones better equipped, better educated and better prepared for their schooling journey. As I said, alongside the Prime Minister in Brisbane last year, when we announced the three-day guarantee, my twins, Oshy and Dash, treasure their early educators, Camilla, Lara and Grace—although for very different reasons. Oshy says he appreciates Camilla and Lara for the cold, hard fact that, if any other kid hurts Oshy, Camilla and Lara always make that kid say sorry.”
“So the news for Elizabeth is, under a coalition government, she wouldn't get a pay rise or tax cuts or affordable higher education. She wouldn't get help to care for her bonus grandfathers and grandmothers. But, according to the coalition's publicly defined parameters of their own policy, businesses could spend up to $20,000 of Elizabeth's own taxpayer funds to attend something like, for example, the Super Bowl to lather themselves in buffalo wings and baby back ribs, nodding along to Kendrick Lamar—all subsidised by the Australian taxpayer. This is just another reason why those opposite are not like us. They're not like us.”
“She told me, 'I feel like I have 100 bonus grandmothers and grandfathers as a result of my work.' Two years into aged care, Elizabeth was inspired to enrol in a diploma of nursing to become an enrolled nurse, something she could only dream of doing thanks to fee-free TAFE. But I was asked how the government's cost-of-living support for aged-care workers compares with the coalition's. I can tell the member for Werriwa that Elizabeth would be significantly worse off under the coalition, because those opposite have never supported a pay rise for aged-care workers and those opposite have never supported fee-free TAFE. Instead, the coalition's big, secretly costed policy is to allow companies to take potential clients out to taxpayer funded lunches and entertainment.”
“Personal care workers with a certificate III are more than $10,573 a year better off. With Labor's tax cuts, they're also keeping an extra $1,166 in their pockets. And, while we're helping aged-care workers earn more and keep more of what they earn, we're also making it more affordable for them to go to TAFE and to uni so that they can provide high-quality care to older Australians. This is helping workers like Elizabeth, whom I met at the South Bank TAFE a few weeks ago. Elizabeth is one of the 130,000 students who have enrolled in a care course through fee-free TAFE. Elizabeth has worked in aged care for two years, and she absolutely loves it.”
“I thank the member for Werriwa for her question and for all the wonderful work that she does looking after recipients of aged care in Werriwa. The Albanese government is firmly focused on the issues that matter to Australians: easing the cost of living whilst fighting inflation, and providing opportunities to upskill in a future made in Australia. As the Minister for Aged Care, I would argue that our commitment to delivering on these issues is best reflected through us prioritising aged-care workers. Since 2023, the Albanese government has invested more than $15 billion to increase the award wage for more than 250,000 aged-care workers. Under the Albanese government, registered nurses are earning an extra $14,685 every single year, and, with Labor's tax cuts, they're keeping an extra $1,745 in their pockets.”
“Whether it's TAFE, university, schooling or early education, the coalition have made it very clear how they feel about affordable and accessible education: they're against fee-free TAFE, they're against student debt relief and they're against affordable early education. They believe education is a privilege that should be paid for. When they were in government, they exacerbated education inequality by cutting $3 billion from the VET sector and they made it more expensive to go to uni. Given half a chance, they will do it again. By investing in fee-free TAFE, Labor is sending a clear message to each and every person who is unsure about their future: we trust your aspirations, we support your education, we back you and we will always work to ensure the doors of opportunity are open for you. That is what Labor governments do.”
“Mackenzie, whom I first met at her school leadership ceremony at Earnshaw State College in 2020, is now doing a Diploma of Nursing at the South Bank TAFE, and I couldn't be prouder of her. Nahid was a software engineer but decided to go and do a certificate III at the Canberra Institute of Technology because she wants to work with people, not mechanics. Ylizbeth, one of the most passionate aged-care workers whom I have met so far, is upskilling through fee-free TAFE to become an enrolled nurse, with the goal of one day becoming a registered nurse and then a doctor. Good luck, Ylizbeth. But, as the Albanese government makes strides towards building a world-class VET system that is high quality and that is accessible, the coalition wait with bated breath to tear it all down.”
“A student in Zillmere training in the Diploma of Nursing can save up to $16,000. A student studying a certificate III in early childhood education in Taigum can save up to $1,000. And a student in Chermside who is undergoing a certificate IV in cybersecurity can save up to $8,000. That is a significant amount of money that they can put into their savings account for a house deposit or a rainy day. Fee-free TAFE is a proud Australian story. It's a story about aspiration, about the pursuit of passion, about the gratification of hard work and about the satisfaction that can be found in achieving your goals. As the member for Lilley and the Minister for Aged Care, I have had the privilege of hearing these stories firsthand.”
“In the first two years of fee-free TAFE, we have seen almost 508,000 enrolments. Of those enrolments, 131,000 have been in aged care and disability support; 48,900 have been in digital and tech; 35,000 have been in construction; and 35,500 have been in early childhood education. Fee-free TAFE is particularly benefiting Australians in typically vulnerable cohorts, including 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 jobseekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians. Of all places, six in 10 have been taken up by women and one in three in regional and remote Australia. This is what fee-free TAFE is about: removing financial barriers to education and training to deliver a more prosperous and equitable Australia. Removing the financial barriers to starting TAFE is providing real cost-of-living relief and saving Australians thousands of dollars.”
“Over the next decade, nine out of 10 new jobs will require post-secondary qualifications and almost half of those qualifications will need to come through vocational education and training pathways like TAFE. Labor's fee-free TAFE ensures that Australians are developing the skills they need to pursue a career in the trades and sectors that we need them in—more tradies to build more homes; more fabricators to restore our sovereign manufacturing capability; more ICT experts to harness the potential of the booming global digital economy; and more skilled carers to look after our loved ones in aged care, early education and the disability sectors. The Free TAFE Bill builds on Labor's extensive work to reverse a decade of coalition neglect and rebuild TAFE for communities across Australia.”