Doorstop interview, Melbourne

COLIN BROOKS, VICTORIAN MINISTER FOR SKILLS AND TAFE: I just want to start by acknowledging the sad news overnight of the passing of Nathan Fitzgerald, a young man who was tragically killed after an accident at the Epping football ground on the weekend. The wider community obviously left reeling by this injury and this news overnight. Our thoughts today go to the family and the friends of Nathan and the broader community – the Epping Football Club, the broader Northern Football Netball League community.

I know many clubs around that part of the world who are feeling that loss, and also the Mernda Central College community. So, this is a young man who touched many lives and has left a real legacy, and it's incredibly sad. And today, we think of the grieving family and friends who are going through this loss.

ANDREW GILES, MINISTER FOR SKILLS AND TRAINING: Thank you. Look, before we get into the business of the press conference, it's important that I to acknowledge Nathan's passing. It’s a very, it’s an indescribably tragic event.

As someone who represents the area in which both Epping and Lalor Football Clubs are located, all of us have been reflecting on what it means. So yesterday, before we had the news that Minister Brooks just referred to, I reached out to the President of the football club seeking to be as available as I can be through what will be a very challenging time for the community, the football club itself at Epping, the players, and everyone at the Lalor Football Club too, and of course, all of the students and families whose lives Nathan touched as a teacher at Mernda Central College.

So, I want to share in those reflections, and I'm sure they are thoughts that the entire Victorian community holds deep in their hearts as we look at a tragic loss of a life that was filled with so much promise but which had already delivered so much in terms of giving to others. I want to welcome everyone today to this great announcement of a VET educator academy here at Chisholm.

This is a partnership in funding between the Federal Government and the State Government here, the Allan Labor Government and the Albanese Labor Government. Just over $5 million contributed each towards this initiative, just over $10 million to set up this academy, which will drive professional development curriculum through the VET education sector. We'll see the programs that are run here at Chisholm rolled out across the rest of the state and then, eventually, the country.

This is an investment in the TAFE system here in Victoria again by the Allan Labor Government in partnership with the Albanese Federal Government. We've seen our Government invest consistently in the TAFE and VET sector here in Victoria since coming to government. We found a TAFE sector that was in smoking ruins after the cuts of the Liberal Government, the previous Liberal government – sacking 2,000 TAFE teachers, cutting a billion dollars out of TAFE, and closing 22 TAFE campuses.

In contrast, we've opened or upgraded some 45 TAFE campuses across the state. We've invested some $16 billion in base and additional funding, and we’ve introduced Free TAFE and now delivering Free TAFE in partnership with the Federal Government. Today is the next step in that – boosting the VET educator workforce, providing them the skills to impart their knowledge right across the state.

Thanks, Colin. It's great to be here at Chisholm TAFE. Great to be with you.

The working relationship that we have already developed is something that I deeply value. I'm also really pleased to be here with my colleague and friend, the local Federal Member, Jodie Belyea, a proud product of this TAFE and someone who also taught at the TAFE – paying it back and paying it again as a local member who really stands up for vocational education and training.

To be here today is a real privilege because I see it as a further building block in the work the Albanese Labor Government and the Allan Labor Government have been doing to rebuild TAFE and vocational education. The National Skills Agreement was agreed to three years ago. It was a partnership between the Federal Government and every state and territory government to make sure that we were building skills for the future and opening the door for Australians right around the country to get the skills they want to do the jobs they need.

This agreement today is an element of that that, so it’s really, really important. Because while we look around this campus and we think about the work, particularly that the Allan Government has done, in physically rebuilding our TAFE campuses, there are amazing facilities here. But those facilities are only meaningful if the teachers, the educators, and the trainers are supported to make full use of them.

And the academy today, the $10 million joint investment is about doing just that. It's about encouraging more people to think about a career in being a TAFE teacher or trainer. It's about recognising the passion, the industry experience, and understanding that is unrivalled in our TAFE network, and making sure that those skills can be developed, recognised, and upskilled on a regular basis.

Here at this campus, but going right around the network and indeed, Colin, right around the country, Free TAFE has been absolutely incredible. An initiative that was born in Victoria that spread nationwide, thanks to the Albanese Government, and in fact, we've made it law as of last year. Around 750,000 Australians have benefited from this.

This demand means we've got to ensure that our teachers are supported to support that growing range of teachers who understand the value of vocational education and training, who are so proud of going to TAFE and want to encourage their friends and family members to enter into all those jobs that are so critical to fulfilling our national priorities – building homes for Australians, caring for our youngest and oldest Australians, supporting our healthcare system.

And here, where I should acknowledge there's a Centre of Excellence in digital and AI skills, recognising the importance of developing that work too. Today's investment is another step forward in valuing vocational education in Australia, and it's a big part of the partnership that I'm really pleased to be part of with the Allan Labor Government, and particularly with Minister Colin Brooks.

But really, today is about saying thank you to those wonderful TAFE teachers and trainers, and saying we are as committed to you as you are to your profession and to your students. So I say to all of them and to Elaine Gillespie from the AEU, who I see there, thank you. JODIE BELYEA, MEMBER FOR DUNKLEY: Chisholm TAFE, very excited to be here.

This investment by the federal and state government means that we are going to have more skills in the sector to train the people that we need in aged care, child care, apprentices across the country and the state. And I'm very excited. I am a product of TAFE.

I was a youth worker and also came back to teach youth work at TAFE. And I certainly know that for the young people that I meet in this community, Chisholm TAFE and the pathways that TAFE offers is a great investment for people's careers. But we need great teachers.

And so to all of those tradies out there or people in the industry that are looking to expand their employment prospects, come on down and do your TAE and become a TAFE teacher. JOURNALIST: On separate matters, not on this. Independent economist Saul Eslake has sort of been caught in the middle of debunking corruption claims and verifying inflation claims, I suppose, on the Big Build sites.

Have you seen the Check the Maths website, or is the Government familiar with the website from one of the unions called Check the Maths on the $15 billion? I saw it referred to in today's paper, I thought I'm not familiar with that website. JOURNALIST: Do you think that the Government should or will the Government use Saul Eslake to debunk the $15 billion claim?

Is it fair that he's being dragged into this? So, my understanding from the media report was that it wasn't Government using his figures. The important thing in this case is that we acknowledge that there's been wrongdoing on aspects of Big Build, and the people who did the wrong thing, people who engaged in corrupt or criminal behaviour are brought to justice and why it's important the police continue to do the important work they’re doing.

More than 90 charges have been laid. Labour High Authority continues to tear up labour hire licences, and we've established the complaints referral line. And we've also seen that – out of our jurisdiction, but also seen the administrator appointed to the CFMEU so we could clear out that union as well.

So there's been a bit of an action taken, that's the key focus. JOURNALIST: Saul says he's been taken out of context and, you're right, the Government isn't using him to debunk the theory, but unions are. Is it appropriate that unions are creating websites to sort of debunk a claim from Jeffrey Watson?

That's a matter you'd have to put to the union, it’s not one that I intend to join this debate on. JOURNALIST: And when you say there has been wrongdoing on the big build projects, what are some specific examples of wrongdoing? Well, I'd point to those 90-odd charges that the police have laid.

I’m not across the detail of each and every way, but for police to lay charges they’ll pursue notice and they’ll work their way through the courts. JOURNALIST: They’d be allegations then. But you stated it as fact that there has been wrongdoing.

I think there's been obvious examples reported in the media, and these charges are being laid. I think they'll work their way through the courts. I'm not going to call out individual cases, I'm not across the detail of each one, but it was obvious there is wrongdoing and it’s important that that’s addressed.

JOURNALIST: Do you feel it's wrongdoing that has made those projects more expensive than they should have been? That's been a topic of debate in recent days. I think it's important to acknowledge that there have been inflationary impacts as well on the construction costs.

Anyone who's done an upgrade to a bathroom or kitchen or a household renovation will know that costs have gone up. There's obviously also been on the impacts there from wrongdoing, and that's something that the Government's pleased to see police taking action. JOURNALIST: Impacts from wrongdoing in terms of cost?

I mean, I'm not laying the charges, it’s why I can't comment on that. But what's important is that where police have been able to identify criminal behaviour they’re laying charges. JOURNALIST: And just moving on, if I can.

Pam the Bird, there was a man that he's now scaled down and been arrested by police. Are you across what happened this morning? I'm only across the many reports coming in that there was someone up there painting Pam the Bird and he was still up there.

Just as I walked up to the microphone I was told that he might have come down, but I've got no idea – JOURNALIST: He’s arrested – I’ve got not information on that. JOURNALIST: What do you make, though, of him – of the stunt that he pulled this morning? So are we confirmed that he's come down?

JOURNALIST: Yes. He's been arrested. So if he's been arrested, he's come down.

I mean, I wouldn’t cut across charges that might be laid, but that sort of behaviour, the disruptive behaviour going on, you know, it's obviously dangerous. But I don't want to talk about things when I don’t know who the person was and why they did what they did, what factors might’ve led him to that. JOURNALIST: He says that he was up there because he wants taxes be lowered, they're too high.

What do you make of that comment against the Government, I suppose? I don't think there's anybody in any jurisdiction anywhere in the world that would say they wouldn't want to see taxes lowered, so he's probably not on his own. But whether that's the right way to make your point, I don’t think – JOURNALIST: And how about the artwork itself that's now up on the top of one those pylons?

I’ve got no comment on that. JOURNALIST: Maybe artwork might not be the best word. What would you use to describe what he’s left behind up there?

JOURNALIST: Vandalism. Should he be left to get back up and clean it up? I don’t know.

Good questions. JOURNALIST: Separately, police have released some figures today about reservists and the success of that program and the process of that. Obviously, it’s been driven by the state government.

What do you make of the success so far just in the numbers of how many are taking that up? This is a great program really, because it's, aware of people who have retired, obviously, coming and take up roles in the office, if you like, in police stations. That's a great thing for those people to do, we really appreciate that.

When the academy's full, we have double squads at the moment so it’s putting people on the beat. But we need to also bring in people who are able to help out from that retirement aspect as well. So, this has been a really good program and one that we should look at ways of expanding.

JOURNALIST: Would the aim, using those numbers and others, other recruits, be to then reopen some of the police stations that have been forced to close their front facing desks and counters? One of the key strengths, I think, of our system of policing here in Victoria is that we provide resources and we provide record resources in Victoria Police. I mean, the Chief Commissioner who, I think everyone would agree, is best person make decisions about how to deploy those resources.

So, making sure that whether it's in a station that needs staffing or whether it's people in a divvy van driving around patrolling West Gate Bridge or other places, where's the best place to have police at a particular point in time that's a matter for the Police Commissioner. We back him in on making those decisions and making the right call. JOURNALIST: