Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces fee-free TAFE, HECS debt relief in Adelaide Sunday to launch Federal Election campaign
The PM made two major education promises to the Labor faithful in Norwood on Sunday.
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Australians will be able to access 100,000 fee-free TAFE places annually, one of several education reforms pledged under a re-elected federal Labor Government, the Prime Minister said in Adelaide on Sunday.
Addressing a cheering crowd of Labor supporters at Norwood International High School, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the federal election campaign with a series of education-focused election commitments.
“Our government will lock in free TAFE and make it permanent nationwide. We will legislate to guarantee 100,000 fee-free places, each and every year,” he said.
Accompanied by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Premier Peter Malinauskas, Mr Albanese unveiled the party’s election slogan – Building Australia’s Future – and vision at the rally in the knife-edge Liberal-held inner city seat of Sturt.
Mr Albanese boasted delivering an “economic record we are proud of”.
He said challenges remained but, with the nation preparing to head to the polls next year, he vowed his party would ensure new jobs, prosperity and “progress that leaves no-one behind”.
“And it’s why we’re so determined to win the next election,” he said.
“To help people through these cost of living pressures, to get more homes built, to get energy prices down, to get more Australians into good jobs, to get Medicare back to its best.
“The next election is about all of that – but it’s also about the next generation”.
Formally announcing a series of education reforms, Mr Albanese touted education as “the most powerful weapon we have against disadvantage” and “ the best investment we can make in building Australia’s future”.
Mr Albanese said a government move to legislate 100,000 free TAFE places annually from 2027 would mean more tradies to build more homes, more carers and more training opportunities for Australians.
It follows earlier efforts with state and territory governments to delivered 180,000 free places in 2023 and 300,000 places over three years from 2024.
In addition to TAFE funding, Mr Albanese said the government was doubling the number of university hubs in the regions and suburbs.
He also formally announced plans to wipe out 20 per cent of student debt and increase the threshold to start repayment student loans.
“This is about putting money back into your pocket and putting intergenerational equity back into the system,” Mr Albanese said, calling Labor “the party of education”.
Mr Albanese also said Labor was the party driving change and opportunity while warning a Liberal National victory would see “a return to the denial, delay and division of the past”.
“Their cuts, their waste, their neglect left Australia wide open to global uncertainty – and now they want to go further,” he said.
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Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces fee-free TAFE, HECS debt relief in Adelaide Sunday to launch Federal Election campaign
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