VET Knowledge Bank - Governance | VOCEDplus, the international tertiary education and research database

Governance

The aim of this product is to provide easy access to information about who governs and regulates vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. This page lists the current ministers responsible for skills and training, the VET regulators, and the state and territory training authorities. The page also contains links to federal, state and territory budget information and timelines of Australian prime ministers, the federal ministers and the Australian Government departments responsible for skills and training between 1992 to present and VET policy initiatives from 1998-2018 that have influenced participation in VET, federal VET legislation and COAG Ministerial Councils, committees and advisory bodies.

COAG Industry and Skills Council (CISC)

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia. It is supported by inter-jurisdictional, ministerial-level councils that facilitate consultation and cooperation between the Commonwealth and the states and territories. The COAG Industry and Skills Council (CISC) was established in December 2013 and comprises state and territory ministers with responsibility for industry and/or skills portfolios. It replaced the former Standing Council for Tertiary Education Skills and Employment (SCOTESE). CISC's role is to initiate, develop and monitor the implementation of policy reforms of national significance which require co-operative action by Australian governments.

Current Ministers responsible for skills and training

Federal	The Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
	The Hon Steve Irons, Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships
States and territories
Australian Capital Territory	The Hon Meegan Fitzharris, Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research
New South Wales	The Hon. Dr (Geoff) Geoffrey Lee, Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education
Northern Territory	The Hon Selena Uibo, Minister Education and Workforce Training
Queensland	The Hon Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Training and Skills Development
South Australia	The Hon David Gregory Pisoni, Minister for Industry and Skills
Tasmania	The Hon Jeremy Rockcliff, Minister for Education and Training
Victoria	The Hon Gayle Tierney, Minister for Training and Skills
Western Australia	The Hon Suzanne (Sue) Mary Ellery, Minister for Education and Training

Timeline of Prime Ministers, federal Ministers and the Commonwealth departments responsible for skills and training: 1992-2018

Timeline of COAG Ministerial Councils and its committees and advisory bodies

Timelines of VET policy initiatives and legislation

Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system has transformed over the past 20 years in response to changing economic and societal needs. It has been shaped by labour market changes and reforms, from the development of the national training market to the implementation of national standards for registered training organisations (RTOs) and national frameworks for training products. The most significant reforms have been those on funding. These have reshaped the system by establishing and driving the expansion of the national training market, albeit with eight separate state training systems. Governments have moved from being providers of training, through TAFE institutes, to purchasers.

Timeline of Australian VET policy initiatives 1998-2018

Timeline of VET legislation 1946-2018

VET regulators

Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)

The Australian Skills Quality Authority is the national VET regulator. Registered training organisations (RTOs) in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania come under ASQA's jurisdiction. ASQA is also the regulatory body for some RTOs in Victoria and Western Australia that offer courses to overseas students or to students in states that come under ASQA's jurisdiction.

Training Accreditation Council (TAC)

The Training Accreditation Council (TAC) is the registering and course accrediting body responsible for the quality assurance and recognition of vocational education and training (VET) services in Western Australia.

Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) is the statutory authority responsible for ensuring that employers of apprentices and trainees and providers of education and training (including course and qualification owners) meet quality standards, and that information is readily available to support informed choice in education and training.

Commonwealth department responsible for skills and training

The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business is responsible for Australia's national training system. Responsibility for vocational education and training, and apprenticeships was transferred from the Education portfolio to the Employment portfolio on 29 May 2019. See the Governing VET in Australia timeline for previous Commonwealth departments responsible for skills and training.

State and territory training authorities

State and territory training authorities are responsible for the operation of the vocational education and training (VET) system within a state or territory. Each state or territory training authority participates in the formulation of national policy, planning and objectives, and promotes and implements the agreed policies and priorities within the state or territory.

Australian Capital Territory	Skills Canberra
New South Wales	Training Services NSW
Northern Territory	Department of Trade, Business and Innovation
Queensland	Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
South Australia	Department for Innovation and Skills
Tasmania	Skills Tasmania
Victoria	Department of Education and Training
Western Australia	Department of Training and Workforce Development

Commonwealth, state and territory budgets

Commonwealth, state and territory government budgets can be large documents and often include multiple papers. The Budgets section of the VET Knowledge Bank aims to make it easier to locate information that relate to skills and training. Direct links to relevant budget papers are also provided for quick and easy access.

How to cite this page

NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Education Research) 2018, Governance, VET Knowledge Bank, NCVER, Adelaide, <http://www.voced.edu.au/vet-knowledge-bank-governance>.