GOVERNMENT SENATORS' ADDITIONAL COMMENTS


GOVERNMENT SENATORS' ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1.1        Labor Senators support the findings and recommendations of the committee in general terms. However, Labor Senators have some misgivings about some of the evidence provided to the committee. Some of the evidence relied on in the majority report may have inadvertently been less than accurate and requires further scrutiny.

1.2        Labor Senators also note that the report has not comprehensively reflected the current position of the Government and has overlooked recent Government efforts which have sought to address some of the areas of concern that are contained within the majority report. It is therefore in the interest of the committee that this report makes note of certain Government initiatives that are relevant to the inquiry, as a matter of public record.

Providing skills and education to support growth

1.3        The Government recognises the importance of agriculture and agribusiness not only to the Australian community, but increasingly as a global issue. Ensuring that we have the skilled workers necessary to support this key industry is vital.

1.4        Through the Council of Australian Governments’ Standing Council on Primary Industries’ productivity agenda, the Australian Government is working with the states and territories on a ‘Building Human Capital’ project. The project will examine how primary industries agencies may be able to influence and address the significant issues facing the primary industries workforce. The key focus of the project will be to explore the agribusiness sector’s brand and how their image can be used to develop workforce initiatives to attract and retain a future workforce that will support ongoing business and industry productivity.

1.5        In June 2012 Agrifood Skills Australia, one of eleven Australian Government-funded Industry Skills Councils, released its report Disruption or evolution: The challenge facing agrifood’s employers in a time of structural adjustment. This report is the fifth annual report into the skills and training needs of the agrifood sector. The report identifies four areas for priority action:

  • Attraction of new workers;
  • Increasing skills levels across the workforce;
  • Sharing widely the benefits of research, innovation and new technology; and
  • Improving the retention and skills use of the existing workforce.

1.6        Many groups have recently studied various aspects of agriculture education and workforce needs including the Senate, the Chief Scientist, DAFF (through development of the National Food Plan), the Council of Australian Governments, the National Farmers Federation and the Business/Higher Education Round Table. The Government also recognises that industry and employer groups have an important role to play in this issue, and is supporting their efforts.

1.7        Funding of $14.9 million will be provided to Agrifood Skills Australia over three years to 2014 to undertake its Industry Skills Council role. The funding will be used to address training, skills and workforce development needs of their industry sectors. The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) is also exploring agricultural education and skills issues in the development of their Blueprint for Australian Agriculture. In April 2012 Government announced that it will provide $75 000 towards the Blueprint consultation to ensure that the views of young people in agriculture are captured in the plan. DAFF is providing a further $75 000 of in-kind technical support from its Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences to assist the NFF in the development of the Blueprint.

1.8        On 19 April 2012, Minister Ludwig also announced that the National Rural Advisory Council will pursue a new work program from July 2012, which includes a focus on skills and the workforce planning capabilities of agricultural employers. The National Rural Advisory Council is an independent panel of farmers and industry experts that provides advice and information to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on a range of rural adjustment issues.

Attracting students to agriculture and agribusiness

1.9        The Gillard Government has invested in reaching out to school students to build interest in careers in agriculture and agribusiness and provided new opportunities for all Australian’s to access vocational education and training, and higher education.

1.10      The cover of the 2012 Job Guide has an Australian Year of the Farmer theme. The Job Guide provides information on a range of occupations and their education and training pathways. The Job Guide is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and is distributed annually to all Australian schools with Year 10 students ensuring every student has access to the Job Guide. The Job Guide is also distributed in small quantities to colleges with Year 11 and 12 students, to career advisers at all TAFEs and universities, as well as youth-focused Australian Government funded programs that provide career advice and support to Year 10 students.

1.11      There are a number of additional features throughout Job Guide 2012 to highlight the agricultural industry, these include:

  • A variety of employment profiles of opportunities within the agriculture industry. These opportunities are highlighted with the symbol of a tractor next to specific profiles indicating an ‘agricultural job’;
  • A page on ‘Careers in Agriculture’ that answers a wide range of questions students may have including what constitutes an agricultural job; the accessibility of agricultural jobs regardless of whether you reside in the city or rural areas; what qualifications are required for a career in agriculture; what the future holds for jobs in agriculture and pathways available to find a career in the industry; and
  • A Rural Studies Bullseye which shows a selection of jobs in the industry and the four levels of education and training required for entry into specific jobs.

1.12      The myfuture website, available at www.myfuture.edu.au, also includes a range of career information and tools, including information on occupations in the agricultural industry. There is the potential for career resources developed by industry to be linked to the myfuture website. This would consequently make the information available to career practitioners, teachers, students and parents.

1.13      The Government also continues to work with key stakeholders, including the Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEF) and the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture (ACDA), to increase awareness of agricultural careers and education. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is a founding member of PIEF. The government has committed a total of $525 000 for DAFF’s membership of PIEF from 2008-09 to 2014-15. PIEF provides credible, relevant and factual information on all matters relating to agriculture, fisheries and forestry for Australia's teachers, students and the community.

1.14      In 2011, ACDA established a comprehensive careers website for prospective students in agriculture. The project team worked with various bodies across the agriculture and education industry to develop a resource for education and training providers, prospective students, researchers and professionals to easily locate information on occupations, career pathways and education in agriculture and related fields. The resulting resource was the CareerHarvest website. The ACDA were able to develop this website with financial assistance from DAFF, through a Community Networks and Capacity Building grant. The ACDA received project funding of $80 000 (GST exclusive) for the CareerHarvest website.

1.15      Through the former Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund, the Australian Government provided $3.6 million over 2009 to 2011 to the Primary Industry Centre for Science Education (PICSE). In June 2012 it was announced that PICSE would receive an additional $125,000 in funding support from DAFF to support PICSE to develop strategies to encourage more young people to enter primary industries and associated research and agribusiness. PICSE has now established itself as an important body in collaborating with universities, schools, regional communities and local primary industries, to attract students into tertiary science and to increase the number of skilled professionals in science based primary industries.

1.16      DAFF also provided a further $100 000 in project funding for PIEF in 2009-10 through the Community Networks and Capacity Building program. The funds contributed to a stock-take of curriculum resources, networks and initiatives for school students and teachers, the development of a survey instrument to enable benchmarking of PIEF’s activities, and a primary industries information website. In September 2011, PIEF made a submission to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) curriculum consultation process.

1.17      The Australian Government has worked in collaboration with the state and territory governments to develop Australia’s first national curriculum. Australia’s education ministers jointly established ACARA to develop that curriculum. In December 2010, all education ministers endorsed Australia’s first national curriculum from Foundation to Year 10 in English, mathematics, science and history. The curriculum can be viewed at www.australiancurriculum.edu.au.

1.18      The next stage of ACARA’s work involves the development of an Australian Curriculum in languages, geography and the arts. Phase three of the Australian Curriculum development process will include the learning areas of health and physical education, information and communication technology, design and technology, economics, business, and civics and citizenship. ACARA has determined, following consultation with key stakeholders, that agriculture and primary industries is to be included as a context for learning within the design and technology learning area.

Support for skills training

1.19      The National Workforce Development Fund is available to enterprises operating in all sectors where there is a current or emerging skills need, including the agriculture sector. Through the Fund, enterprises are able to increase their workforce capacity by providing existing workers and new workers with the opportunity to enhance their skill levels through formal training.

1.20      As at May 2012, 23 projects to the value of $6.4 million in the agriculture sector have been approved for funding to train 1,177 learners. The Government has contributed $3.6 million towards these projects, with enterprises contributing $2.8 million.

1.21      A range of financial incentives are available to employers to encourage them to offer employment related opportunities through apprenticeships and traineeships that will encourage people to acquire and expand their working skills and, as a result, set themselves towards worthwhile careers.

1.22      Under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program, employers of eligible Australian Apprentices at the Certificate III or IV level may attract commencement and completion incentives totalling up to $4,000. Australian Apprentices at the Certificate II level may attract a $1,250 commencement incentive for their employer. In 2010-11, over $260 million was paid in standard incentives for apprentices undertaking training in regional areas. In addition, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program also contains a range of special and additional incentives. To boost training in rural and regional Australia, the Government provides a $1,000 Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Incentive. In 2010-11 over $26 million was provided under this incentive.

1.23      In addition to employer incentives, Australian Apprentices undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship in an agricultural or horticultural occupation may be eligible for personal benefits, such as the Tools For Your Trade payment initiative and Support for Adult Australian Apprenticeships. In 2010-11, over $78 million was paid to eligible Australian Apprentices through the Tools For Your Trade initiative, and over $36 million was paid to eligible Australian Apprentices ($10 million) and employers ($26 million) through the Support For Adult Australian Apprentices initiative.

Supporting agricultural and agribusiness education

1.24      Nationally, one-third of Australian universities offer places in agriculture-related courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with most universities offering related courses in business and science fields. From 1 January 2012, the Australian Government is funding Commonwealth supported places for all domestic students accepted into eligible bachelor degrees at public universities. The agriculture industry can use the increased flexibility offered by uncapping of demand to work with schools and universities to encourage students to study courses that meet the needs of the labour market.  

1.25      Agriculture units of study receive the highest rate of Government funding ($20 284 per Commonwealth Supported Place in 2012). The maximum student contribution in 2012 for agriculture units of study was $8 050 for one equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) which is the second highest student contribution band. Combined funding per EFTSL for universities can be up to $28 334 per annum. Universities have the choice to charge less than the maximum student contribution and the flexibility to decide how that funding is allocated, including spending on activities or programs that would support the attraction of students to study agriculture.

Supporting regional students access higher education

1.26      The Government is making a major investment in higher education in regional Australia through a range of initiatives:

  • The number of government funded student places in regional universities has increased from 62,600 in 2007 to an estimated 77,700 in 2012;
  • In 2012, Australia’s regionally headquartered universities will receive about $1.6 billion in Commonwealth funding to support teaching, learning and research – an increase of 47% from 2007;
  • Increasing regional loading to help universities overcome the higher costs of regional campuses has increased by $110 million over four years, increasing funding to a total of $249 million; and
  • Over five years the Regional Priorities Round of the Education Investment Fund will deliver more than $500 million to strengthen the infrastructure that supports regional students' participation in tertiary education.

1.27      The Australian Government has also delivered on its commitment to eliminate regional eligibility distinctions for Youth Allowance. From 1 January 2012, as part of a $265 million package, inner regional students are able to access independent Youth Allowance under the same concessional arrangements as outer regional, remote and very remote.

1.28      The Government has increased to $2000 both second- and third-year Relocation Scholarships payments for eligible regional university students required to live away from home. This represents a $9000 increase in Relocation Scholarship payments for each of those years.

 

Senator Gavin Marshall

Deputy Chair

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