44302 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Vocational Education

44302 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Vocational Education: In what ways, if any, does the Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill address the issue of sustainable funding levels within the vocational education sector?

Hon Penny Simmonds: The Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill does not change how funding is allocated to the vocational education and training (VET) system. Funding will continue to be set through the annual Budget process and allocated by the Tertiary Education Commission through a process currently set out in legislation. Additionally, the following funding changes have been made to support financial viability in the VET sector: • In 2025, there was a ten percent increase in provider-based funding rates, funded by disestablishing the Strategic Component of the VET funding system and reinvesting it into core delivery. Changes to take effect from 2026 include: • three percent increase to targeted VET provision • two percent targeted increase to provider-based funding rates • $20 million per annum for two years to support the continued delivery of strategically important provision by polytechnics during the transition to the redesigned system.