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The purpose of this statement is to provide an overview of the Australian government’s science and technology strategy. It sets out the major issues essential to developing the nation’s scientific and technological capacity and enhancing its contribution to meeting national needs. The strategy is presented under four broad headings: (1) the central role of science and technology in achieving national objectives; (2) management strategy (including an increase in overall funding of research and development); (3) human resources strategy (including research training); and (4) science and technology and the wider community. The government intends to increase the resources available for allocation to higher education institutions and researchers on the advice of the Australian Research Council (ARC) in consultation with the Higher Education Council (HEC). Additional funding will be provided to support research training and to open research scholarships, linking directly with industry. The health and medical research workforce will be strengthened through the provision of funding to assist young scientists transition into full independence.

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The Ministerial Statement, 'Our universities backing Australia's future', was released with the Federal Budget on 13 May, 2003. This independent study has been commissioned to analyse the Commonwealth's decisions with emphasis on issues in areas of particular concern to State and Territory Governments. The report is provided in two volumes. Volume one analyses the current situation in Australian Higher Education. Volume two then analyses the decisions announced in 'Backing Australia's future'.

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This report looks at the structural and policy changes at Commonwealth level in adult education since the 1991 report 'Come in Cinderella: the emergence of adult and community education' (indexed at TD/LMR 85.644). It examines significant changes in the patterns and level of participation by adults in education and training, describes the organisation of adult and community education (ACE) provision in the states and territories and identifies technological, demographic and economic trends such as our aging population and the Internet which are likely to influence significantly the nature and extent of adult education provision in Australia. It also examines the professional development of adult education since 1991, and prepares guidelines for Australia's contribution to the UNESCO International Conference on Adult and Community Education. Chaired by Senator Rosemary Crowley, the Committee recommended an unequivocal commitment by government to the concept of lifelong society, and recommended a bringing together of the national ACE policy and the vocational education and training (VET) policy to establish an integrated National Adult Community and Vocational Education and Training (NACVET) Policy. Show less

The inquiry into the education of students with disabilities, undertaken by the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee in 2002, was established in response to concerns about the effectiveness of Commonwealth programs for students with disabilities and whether the needs of students with disabilities were being met in the schools sector and in post-secondary education. The terms of reference for the inquiry required the Committee to examine current policies and practices to determine their adequacy in meeting the needs of students with disabilities and to make recommendations to change the way the Commonwealth and states and territories discharge their responsibilities to these students. Submissions were received from: state and non-government school educational authorities and universities; parents and parent groups; peak disability groups; teachers and individual schools, teacher unions and university academics; and student and student organisations. The inquiry found that schools do not adequately meet the educational needs of students with disabilities and there are deficiencies in the preparation and continuing training and education of teachers. Show less

All jurisdictions in Australia have signed a Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform. The Agreement sets out immediate reforms to improve the vocational education and training (VET) sector and an approach and priorities for developing a new National Skills Agreement to replace the National Agreement on Skills and Workforce Development [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 104.531]. The priorities in the Agreement are aimed at ensuring the VET system is delivering for students and employers and equipping Australians with the skills they need for emerging jobs.

The Commonwealth is also partnering with the states and territories to deliver the JobTrainer Fund, which will provide more access to free, or low cost, training places in areas of identified skills need.

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This Agreement represents shared priorities between the Australian and state and territory governments in partnership with business and industry for vocational and technical education in Australia. It reinforces the commitment of these governments to support the implementation of new national training arrangements from 1 July 2005. This Agreement also demonstrates their commitment to work collaboratively in areas of national priority that support the long-term objectives for the training system as set out in Shaping Our Future, Australia's National Strategy for Vocational Education and Training 2004-2010 [available in VOCEDplus at TD/LMR 85.685]. The Agreement is being tabled in accordance with requirements of the Skilling Australia's Workforce Act 2005 [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 83.246]. Included with the Agreement is the Framework for the New National Training System. The Framework has been agreed between governments and was developed following consultation with business and industry as well as other stakeholders and sets out arrangements for the operation of a national approach to training.

'Skilling Australia's Workforce 2005-08' mid-term review is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 93.121. Show less

In 2012, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed on a National Partnership Agreement for Skills Reform which will: contribute to the reform of the vocational education and training [VET] system to deliver a productive and highly skilled workforce which contributes to Australia’s economic future and … enables all working age Australians to develop skills and qualifications needed to participate effectively in the labour market. At the heart of these reforms is the adoption of the Commonwealth proposal for a national training entitlement and a more open and competitive training market.

On 11 December 2013, the Senate commissioned the Education and Employment References Committee to examine technical and further education (TAFE) in Australia. The terms of reference for this inquiry were: (1) the role played by TAFEs in (i) educational linkages with secondary and higher education, (ii) the development of skills in the Australian economy, (iii) the development of opportunities for Australians to improve themselves and increase their life, education and employment prospects, and (iv) the delivery of services and programs to support regions, communities and disadvantaged individuals to access education, training and skills and, through them, a pathway to further education and employment; (2) the effects of a competitive training market on TAFE; (3) what public funding is adequate to ensure TAFEs remain in a strong and sustainable position to carry out their aims; (4) what factors affect the affordability and accessibility of TAFE to students and business; (5) different mechanisms used by state governments to allocate funding; and (6) the application and effect of additional charges to TAFE students.

This report contains the findings and recommendations made by the Committee. The report recommends: (1) that the Commonwealth work with its COAG partners on the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform to ensure that all States and Territories provide clear statements of policy direction on the role of TAFE in consultation with vulnerable industries; (2) the Commonwealth government work with its COAG partners to develop a partnership agreement establishing a minimum and adequate level of support for people with disabilities; (3) that resources and funding for the Australian Skills Qualification Authority be proportionally increased relative to the number of private providers entering the training market; (4) the development of improved government standards for registration of training organisations, as the current regulatory environment provides no guarantee of quality for students; (5) that COAG work towards establishing a formula for use in contestable funding decisions that reflects the true costs of TAFE delivering those services, and establishing a ‘managed market’; (6) that COAG work collaboratively to develop a national workforce strategy for TAFE that addresses the level and quality of teaching qualifications in the sector; (7) that COAG investigate the substantial increases in fees across the board; (8) that criteria for access to assistance programs for fees be examined to ensure that access to VET training is not inhibited by upfront cost considerations; (9) that the VET FEE-HELP Loan Fee of 20 per cent be reduced significantly in line with comparable financial industry products; and (10) full and immediate reinstatement of TAFE funding cuts by State Governments.

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The National Skills Agreement is a five-year agreement between Commonwealth and state and territory governments, working in partnership, to ensure that the national vocational education and training (VET) system provides high-quality, responsive and accessible education and training to boost productivity, deliver national priorities and support Australians to obtain the skills and capabilities they need to obtain well-paid, secure jobs.

As part of the National Skills Agreement, the Parties have committed to implementing improved funding arrangements, with a view to replacing the National Specific Purpose Payments for Skills and Workforce Development.

The National Skills Agreement replaces the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development (NASWD) [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 104.531] which was established through the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations.

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On 3 December 1973, the Australian Government appointed the Committee of Inquiry into Labour Market Training, chaired by Donald Cochrane. The Committee was asked to report to the Minister of Labour as quickly as possibly on the following: (1) the role that training should play in an active labour policy; (2) the extent to which opportunities for training and retraining should be provided or improved; (3) the broad methods of training and retraining that should be used; (4) the methods of selecting prospective trainees and allocating trainees to prospective employers; (5) the rationalisation of existing schemes of training and retraining; and (6) the level of allowances that should be paid to trainees and the questions of taxation in relation to such allowances.

Reporting in May 1974, the committee's recommendations were for the introduction of procedures for collecting labour market information and rationalisation of labour market training through the establishment of one comprehensive labour market training scheme. It also proposed the introduction of group apprenticeship schemes, the development of measures to overcome the restrictions preventing the access of adults to the skilled trades and the optimisation of use of the facilities of existing educational institutions.

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In 2012 the Commonwealth and states and territories committed to a National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform (NP) [indexed at TD/TNC 108.1569]. The agreement set out the goals and structures of intergovernmental [vocational education and training] VET funding and reform for the period 2012-13 to 2016-17. The NP was created in accordance with the provisions of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations (IGA-FFR), and is directed to achieving the reform directions agreed under the National Agreement on Skills and Workforce Development (NASWD). The NP has the objective of a 'VET system that delivers a productive and highly skilled workforce which contributes to Australia's economic future, and to enable all working age Australians to develop the skills and qualifications needed to participate effectively in the labour market'. This review of the NP has been commissioned as called for by the agreement itself.

The review has examined 'progress of the structural reforms and training outcomes', noting that the jurisdictionally flexible reforms have differed across the states and territories and are at different stages of implementation. While the review has considered progress within individual states and territories, its focus has remained on progress at the national level. To inform future VET policy, the review has identified examples of good practice across different aspects of the training system and has considered and made recommendations on future objectives, outcomes and outputs that could form the basis of any future Commonwealth-state agreements. The report first addresses the specific outcomes of the NP, then considers good practice and future reform.

The chapters are as follows: Overview of the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform; An accessible and equitable training system (Outcome 1); A more transparent VET sector (Outcome 2); A higher quality VET sector (Outcome 3); A more efficient and responsive VET sector (Outcome 4); National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform VET training outcomes; Recommendations for future Commonwealth-state agreements. The appendices provide greater detail on jurisdictional training outcomes and the background to the review.

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