Australian Federal Budget 2006

Sun, May 14, 2006; by Bill Coppinger.

The Australian Federal Budget was handed down on Tuesday the 9th of May with a number of implications for LLEN Members and stakeholders.

As a service to members we have provided a set of focused links to key budget areas. Included in the list below are links to full budget documentation as well as summarised Press Releases from the Ministerial Portfolios relevant to the work of the LLEN.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it an assessment of the details of the annnouncements.We encourage LLEN members and stakeholders to review, digest and comment on areas relevant to their specific field[s].

A number of announcements have been made that may [and will] compliment a number of initiatives currently being pursued by the Board of the Central Ranges LLEN and its partners.

• Follow this link to the full Press Release by the Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister for Education, Science and Training

Budget Papers

The Treasurer's budget speech can be found here:

• Budget Speech

Full Budget Papers

• Budget Paper No. 1
• Budget Paper No. 2
• Budget Paper No. 3
• Budget Paper No. 4

2006-2007 Education Science and Training Budget

• Budget 2006 at a Glance       
• Media Releases    
• Portfolio Budget Statements 

The portfolio summary can also be downloaded here as a PDF document

What the Budget Means for VET.

In this Budget, the Australian Government is announcing funding of $53.5 million over four years to lead national reform through the Council of Australian Governments. This positions vocational and technical education to address barriers to more people taking up training opportunities and their transition into employment. It will also support a genuinely national approach to apprenticeships, training and skills recognition to alleviate skills gaps that currently exist in some parts of the economy.

[Source: DEST]

The funding package for 2006-07 includes:

• Enhanced support services for apprentices and their employers through an additional $106.7 million over four years for New Apprenticeships Centres. The additional funding will increase the Australian Government allocation to the Centres to $692.1 million over four years from 1 July 2006.

• An extra $6 million in 2005-06 to fund the National Skill Shortages Strategy. The strategy involves a partnership between the Australian Government and key industry groups working to develop solutions and models to address current and future industry skills needs in areas of critical skills needs, particularly traditional trades.Projects include streamlined approaches for recognition of existing workers’ skills, attracting new entrants to particular industries and enhancing their career paths.

• Funding of $10.6 million over four years to extend incentives for employers of New Apprentices in select Diploma and Advanced Diploma New Apprenticeships in key growth areas.

• Funding for the continuation of the Disability Coordination Officer Programme, which provides greater choice and more effective transitions to people with a disability who are considering their options after finishing school.

• Funding of $53.5 million over four years to support national reforms agreed through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to develop a national approach to apprenticeships and address inherent barriers to more people taking up training opportunities and their transition into employment.

The 2006-07 Budget provides funding of $181.6 million for a range of collaborative VTE [Vocational and Technical Education Sector]initiatives to build a better future for all Australians and provide more choice for young people. [Media Release]

[Source: DEST]

TRAINING

The Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, announced that the Budget would provide funding of $10.6 million over four years to extend incentives for employers of higher level New Apprentices in key growth areas.

Under this initiative, employers of New Apprentices in select Diploma and Advanced Diploma New Apprenticeships will be eligible for a payment of $4,000 per New Apprentice from 1 July 2006

The Budget provides:

• An additional $106.7 million over four years for New Apprenticeships Centres;
• An extra $6 million in 2005-06 to fund the National Skill Shortages Strategy;
• $10.6 million over four years to extend incentives for employers of higher level New Apprentices in key growth areas;

[Source: DEST]

SCHOOLS

More than 3.3 million primary and secondary students from over 9,600 schools and school communities will benefit from $9.3 billion in schools funding.

This Budget includes:

• $22.9 million over four years, bringing the total commitment for the new Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Innovation to Support National Consistency initiative to $34.8 million;

• Additional funding of $40.8 million over fours years for the English as a Second Language – New Arrivals (ESL) programme;

• $20.6 million over two years for the Reading Assistance Voucher programme;

• $10.7 million over four years for a new Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER), bringing the total commitment to $16.3 million as part of the Government’s Civics and Citizenship national priority;

• $5.8 million over two years for a pilot study to examine current funding arrangements for students with disabilities and ways to maximise portability of funding to support parental choice.

[Source: DEST]

 

INDIGENOUS

This Budget builds on the Howard Government’s commitment to improving opportunities for Indigenous students in pre-school, schooling, training and higher education with funding of $88.2 million.

The 2006-07 Budget will provide funding for the following:

• $19.6 million for 20 school-based sporting academies and related strategies;

• An additional $15.6 million over two calendar/school years to provide tutorial assistance for Year 9 Indigenous students;

• An extension of Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme to Indigenous Vocational and Technical Education (VTE), at a cost of $21.8 million over four years;

• Funding of $16.1 million over the next four years for the Community Festivals for Education Engagement and Drug Prevention programme;

• Funding of $10 million to help build a community managed boarding college on the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory;

• $5.1 million for education programs to help up to 1,000 young Indigenous people involved in petrol sniffing and substance abuse in the central desert and other remote regions.

From 1 July 2007, the Government will limit to four years the amount of time a student is eligible to receive the ABSTUDY Living Allowance or Pensioner Education Supplement while undertaking AQF Certificate I and II courses. By limiting time spent on lower level courses, this measure encourages participation at higher levels of study for students receiving ABSTUDY Living Allowance or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement.

The Government will also strengthen the arrangements for the payment of the ABSTUDY School Term Allowance for Indigenous students under 16 years of age, linking it to school attendance.

TRANSITIONS

$94.4 million is also being provided to help at risk young people make the transition through school to further education, training or the workforce.

Young Australians living with a mental illness, such as depression, will now have access to more support to sustain them in the education sector by enhancement of the Youth Pathways programme as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) Health package.

The Budget will provide:

• Funding of $59.5 million over the next five years to assist a further 38,250 young people, including those with a mental illness to remain engaged in education;

• Funding of $34.9 million over four years for the Partnership Outreach Education Model (POEM) to assist around 12,000 young people to re-engage with education and training after dropping out of school.

Budget information by Portfolio:

The following Australian Government Agencies have their Portfolio Budget Statements available on their web sites. We have selected those we think our most relevant to the work of the LLEN and its stakeholders.

1.1 Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

1.3 Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

1.4 C Defence Housing Authority

1.5 Education, Science and Training

1.6 Employment and Workplace Relations

1.8 Family and Community Services

1.11 Health and Ageing

1.13 Industry, Tourism and Resources

1.15 Transport and Regional Services