Labor says Fee-Free TAFE program will be cut under a Dutton government, NQ students to suffer

With more than 100,000 Queenslanders having taken part in Fee-Free TAFE, the Albanese Government says the Coalition will scrap the program , which they say is the “backbone” of the skills economy in North Queensland.

War of words over Fee-Free TAFE program

With more than 100,000 Queenslanders having taken part in Fee-Free TAFE program, the Albanese Government says the Coalition will cut the program, which is the “backbone” of the skills economy in North Queensland.

Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew said the program enables students to develop their skills right here in Townsville, reducing the need to move and enticing them to stay once completing their studies.

Labor candidate Edwina Andrew TAFE Townsville, Pimlico

“We know we have a shortage of constructions workers, shortage of nurses, shortage of childcare workers, having our skills developed right in Townsville with locals means locals stay here and work in the industry,” she said.

She said the continuation of the program was at risk if Peter Dutton was to be elected.

“We know that Peter Dutton has stated and voted against Fee-Free TAFE and that is something that would not go ahead if the LNP were to take on government.”

Senator Nita Green, Senate candidate Corinne Mulholland, Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew and Senator Anthony Chisholm at Townsville TAFE's Pimlico campus.

Labor candidate for the Queensland Senate Corinne Mulholland said TAFE was the ‘backbone’ of the skills economy, where tradies, nurses and aged care workers get their first start.

“Cutting TAFE means cutting their livelihoods and cutting their future employment,” she said.

During her third visit to Townsville, Senator Nita Green said Fee-Free TAFE was “literally changing lives”, having met with nursing students who she says would not have been able to complete their studies if it was not free.

“ … That means that those nurses won’t be able to train for free anymore,” she said.

“We know that he needs to cut $600 million worth of things from Townsville, from North Queensland to pay for the nuclear power plan.”

The Australian Government partnered with state and territory governments to provide more than $1.5 billion in funding for 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE places across the country between 2023 and 2026.

Areas of study considered “national priority” had their fees wiped including construction, manufacturing, care, early childhood education and care, manufacturing and agriculture among others.

NCA 2025 FEDERAL ELECTION LIBERAL BUS. 24/04/2025. Opposition Leader Peter Picture: Richard Dobson / Newswire

Priority groups including First Nations Australians, young people aged between 17 and 24, people who are out of work or on income payments and women facing ‘economic insecurity’, are also prioritised for Fee-Free TAFE courses.

A Coalition spokesperson said the since the Albanese Government took office in Canberra, Queensland has lost “one in five apprentices and trainees from the training pipeline”.

“Labor said their Fee-Free TAFE program would fix skills shortages and skill more Australians but it just has not worked,” they said.

“The problem is Labor’s Fee-Free TAFE program is badly designed and poorly targeted”.

“Australian taxpayers have spent over $1.5 billion to cover TAFE course fees, but have ended up with 90,000 fewer apprentices and trainees.”

The Coalition said Townsville will get more apprentices and tradies under their skills policies.

Part of the Coalition’s plan to “back Australia’s skilled workforce is to build a new national network of Australian Technical Colleges and deliver a ‘Skills in Schools Strategy’ to entice more schoolkids into trades jobs.

Originally published as Labor says Fee-Free TAFE program will be cut under a Dutton government, NQ students to suffer