VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone said his organisation welcomes the release of recommendations from the State Government’s external Review of Quality Assurance in Victoria’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) System.

"VECCI’s submission and ongoing advocacy highlighted the vital need to restore the confidence of both employers and students in the quality of Victoria’s VET system," Mr Stone said.

"It is positive to see the government’s acknowledgement of this need and the swiftness of the release and planned implementation of these recommendations."

VECCI has welcomed the direction of the reforms to:

- Enforce stricter requirements on providers entering and operating in the VET system.

VECCI has consistently called for a risk-based regulatory and compliance framework that subjects high-risk providers with a record of poor training behaviour to stricter regulatory oversight and reporting than that which low-risk providers are subjected to.

- Help students chose the right course and provider through a consumer awareness information campaign and access to independent employment pathway support.

- Provide greater transparency of poor quality training providers, including those that have had contracts terminated previously.

- Improve online information and feedback facilities for businesses, students and industry.

"However, many of the industry’s concerns with training quality stem from the abuse of the current VET funding model," Mr Stone said.

"For this reason, VECCI has called for the VET funding model to be overhauled to create a stronger alignment with employer skills needs and vocational outcomes.

"We understand these recommendations will feed into the VET Funding Review currently being undertaken and look forward to the government’s response in the near future.

"VECCI also looks forward to working with the government to implement these recommendations and those outlined in the VET Funding Review report when that is released."

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) is the most influential business organisation in Victoria, informing and servicing more than 15,000 members, customers and clients around the state.

vecci.org.au

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NEW exports and imported food legislation designed to implement fairer, more equitable funding arrangements for users of export certification and biosecurity systems passed the Senate last week. 

Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, said the new legislation does not amend current fees and charges but it will now allow the Australian Government to progress the redesign of export certification and biosecurity cost recovery arrangements with industry and stakeholders. 

"Improving the performance and efficiency and reducing unnecessary red tape in export certification was a commitment made by the Coalition prior to the last election and I am pleased that this legislation has passed, enabling us to continue this work. 

"It is important that our exporters and importers pay a reasonable price that recovers the real cost of the services they receive from government," Minister Joyce said. 

"It's also very important that those charges do not unfairly discriminate against new or small exporters. 

"At the same time, we need to make sure our biosecurity and export certification systems remain world leading as Australia's $53 billion agricultural sector relies on it. 

"This legislation lays the foundation to work with industry to determine the best way to implement fees and charges that are fair, efficient and reduce the impact on small exporters and businesses." 

The department has been consulting with government-industry consultative committees about the redesign of the cost recovery arrangements since mid-last year. In July and August, the department will seek broader stakeholder feedback on the redesign that has been worked through with these committees. 

"We continue to listen to industry and work with clients, government-industry consultative committees and peak bodies," Minister Joyce said. 

"This engagement will continue as we design appropriate fees and charges that underpin each of the arrangements." 

Further information on draft cost recovery implementation statements, including proposed fees and charges, will be published on the department's website in July 2015. Information will also be available on how interested stakeholders can provide feedback and attend information forums that will held by the department. 

agriculture.gov.au/costrecoveryreview.

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THE Administration of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements by Emergency Management Australia and the Award of Funding under the Safer Streets Program will be the focus of new inquiries  under the Parliament’s Joint Public Accounts Committee.

The new inquiries, which commenced last Friday, have been initiated as part of the committee’s role of examining Australian National Audit Office reports. Committee Chair, Dr Andrew Southcott MP, said that the committee had an important role in holding Commonwealth agencies to account.

“Grants administration is an important activity involving a significant amount of public funds each year. The Committee’s new inquiries are an opportunity to further inspect the framework supporting the administration of programs involving Commonwealth grants to improve transparency, accountability and, ultimately, public outcomes,” Dr Southcott said.

The committee is also inquiring into the Management of Smart Centres’ Centrelink Telephone Services.

Interested persons and organisations are invited to make submissions to the committee’s inquiries, addressing the terms of reference. 

Further information about the committee’s inquiries, including details on how to lodge a submission, are available on the committee’s website at www.aph.gov.au/jcpaa.

Public hearings will be held in the second half of the year.

The committee has selected three ANAO reports for detailed review:
• No. 34 of (2014-15) Administration of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements by Emergency Management Australia
• No. 37 of (2014-15) Management of Smart Centres’ Centrelink Telephone Services
• No. 41 of (2014-15) The Award of Funding under the Safer Streets Programme

For information about the inquiry and public hearing: please contact the Committee Secretariat on (02) 6277 4615, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit the committee website http://www.aph.gov.au/jcpaa.

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THE Public Works Committee is conducting an inquiry into the proposed refurbishment of the Perth Air Traffic Services Centre (ATSC).

The ATSC at Perth Airport provides military and civilian control services. These services are managed by two separate systems, both of which require upgrading. Consequently, Airservices Australia and the Department of Defence have partnered to develop a single aviation communication and management system, OneSKY.

Airservices Australia told the committee that refurbishment of the ATSC in Perth is planned such that it will allow the current system and the new OneSKY systems to operate in parallel over a four year period, before OneSKY is fully functional. The refurbishment will extend the life of the building for a further 20 years.

Subject to parliamentary approval the work is due to commence in 2015 and be completed in early-2016. It is estimated to cost $23.05 million (excluding GST).

The Committee Chair, Senator Dean Smith, said the Committee will conduct public and in-camera hearings for the inquiry in Perth in August 2015.

Full details on the project are available on the committee’s website: www.aph.gov.au/pwc

Submissions to the inquiry close on 22 July 2015.

Full details of the public hearing will be available soon.

NB the Public Works Committee is neither involved in the tendering process nor the awarding of contracts. Enquiries on those matters should be addressed to Airservices Australia.

For further information, including how to make a submission, the public hearing times, and copies of submissions when they become available, please visit the Committee website http://www.aph.gov.au/pwc or contact the Committee Secretariat on (02) 6277 4636.

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