[Greens-Media] Greens call for parliamentary inquiry into vocational education and training rorts (Sue Pennicuik MLC Vic)

[Amanda.Sharp at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Greens call for parliamentary inquiry into vocational education and 
training rorts

Friday 10 August 2012

Greens MP and Education spokesperson Sue Pennicuik has written to the 
government chair of the upper house Social and Legal Committee asking that 
the committee conduct public hearings to investigate allegations of 
rorting of apprenticeships and other vocational education and training in 
Victoria.

"In the past week, the 7.30 Report has aired three programs outlining 
disturbing allegations about rorting in the Vocational Education and 
Training sector in Victoria and around the country," Ms Pennicuik said. 

"People reported that 'a lot of people are fleecing the system and 
millions of dollars would have been wasted on effectively no training' 
that they have 'serious concerns that training provided is of a 'tick and 
flick' nature,' that 'the auditing system is an easily fabricated paper 
trail,' and that 'hundreds of young apprentices say they are being ripped 
off and left unemployable with worthless qualifications.' 

"The 7:30 Report reported that the VRQA was shocked by the allegations and 
have commenced an immediate investigation. It is unbelievable that this 
level of rorting could go unnoticed by the VRQA," Ms Pennicuik said. 

"I have previously stated in parliament in the wake of other instances of 
rorting by and collapse of private providers, that I was concerned that 
the VRQA did not have the resources to effectively monitor quality of VET 
providers across Victoria."

"This is an issue of great public interest and of ongoing concern to me 
and to the people of Victoria and as such it should be urgently 
investigated by the parliament."

Further comment:  Sue Pennicuik   03 9530 8399 / 0409 055 875

///////************************************************************///////////////

Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
Important Disclaimer Notice:


The information contained in this email  including any attachments, may be 
confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please 
notify the sender and delete it from  your system. Any unauthorised 
disclosure, copying or dissemination of all or part of this email, including 
any attachments, is not permitted. This email, including any attachments, should 
be dealt with in accordance with copyright and  privacy legislation. 
Except where otherwise stated, views expressed are those of the individual sender.