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

Governance and funding

In this section:

► COAG Skills Council (Ministers responsible for skills and training)

► State and territory training authorities

► VET regulators

► Budget highlights

Timelines

Australian VET policy initiatives: 1998-2019

From MINCO to CISC - COAG Ministerial Councils, committees and advisory bodies: 1992-2020

Governing VET in Australia: Prime Ministers, federal Ministers and the Commonwealth departments responsible for skills and training: 1992-2020

VET legislation: 1946-2018

COAG Skills Council

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Skills Council is responsible for skills development and national training arrangements, focusing on major policy reforms that require collaboration between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments. On 29 May 2020, following the Prime Minister's announcement, arrangements to replace COAG with a new National Federation Reform Council (NFRC) are currently being reviewed.

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 Chris Steel, Minister for Tertiary Education
New South Wales	The Hon Dr (Geoff) Geoffrey Lee, Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education
Northern Territory	The Hon Paul Kirby, Minister for Jobs and Training
Queensland	The Hon Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Training and Skills Development
South Australia	The Hon David Pisoni, Minister for Innovation and Skills
	The Hon John Gardner, Minister for Education
Tasmania	The Hon Jeremy Rockcliff, Minister for Education and Training
Victoria	The Hon Gayle Tierney, Minister for Training and Skills
	The Hon James Merlino, Minister for the Coordination of Education and Training: COVID-19
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: 1992-2020

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 (ASQA) 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 Education, Skills and Employment is responsible for Australia's national training system. The former Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business was consolidated with the Department of Education to form the new Department of Education, Skills and Employment on 1 February 2020. 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>.

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