MOTIONS › Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges
Senator McGRATH (Queensland) (18:01): I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises that Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges provide vital skills to graduates, and contribute to the viability of the Queensland agricultural sector as a whole, which employs over 57,000 people in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries and was worth over $19 billion to the State's economy in 2017-18; (b) notes that the flagship Longreach and Emerald Training Colleges are being shut down after operating for more than 50 years, have helped thousands of graduates to achieve rewarding careers over this time, and that, between the two colleges, they employ over 100 staff; (c) further notes that the Queensland Labor Government is responsible for the decision to close training colleges; (d) calls on the Queensland Labor Government to reconsider its decision to close the Longreach and Emerald Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges; and (e) condemns the Queensland Labor Government for turning its back on $245 million in Federal funding from the Skilling Australians Fund, which would have created 50,000 new apprenticeships in Queensland over the next four years. I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator McGRATH: The iconic Longreach and Emerald training colleges are an important component in the Queensland agricultural sector. These colleges have operated for more than 50 years and seen multiple generations of students graduate from them. The colleges are vital to numerous rural and regional communities. I understand that meetings have taken place between the state Labor government and stakeholders. However, there has been no official announcement that these colleges will remain open. The state Labor government needs to publicly reverse the decision to close the training colleges and give certainty to an agricultural sector hit by flood, fire and drought.