46953 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Vocational Education

Written Question

Published date: 13 Oct 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	46953 (2025)
Question asked:	29 Sep 2025
Member asking:	Shanan Halbert
Portfolio:	Minister for Vocational Education
Minister replying:	Hon Penny Simmonds
Answer received:	07 Oct 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_46953_2025
Document guid:	028130cc-91a5-406a-84bc-dba4f58eca1b

46953 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Vocational Education: What decision making power, if any, does the Minister have in the allocation of the Strategically Important Provision fund?

Hon Penny Simmonds: I have delegated the implementation of a fund of $10 million per year in 2026 and 2027 to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), for which I have set criteria for identifying what is considered strategically important as agreed by Cabinet. The TEC will make allocation decisions according to the parameters of that fund. An additional $10 million per year in 2026 and 2027 will be allocated through grants under section 556 of the Education and Training Act to recognise factors unique to each polytechnic. I have made decisions about the allocation of this funding, which have been confirmed by the Minister of Education and Minister for Universities. This is also my response to written parliamentary question 46959 (2025).