Brendan O'Connor
Senior Albanese government ministers could quit in a matter of days
There is growing expectation in Labor ranks that a pair of cabinet ministers are poised to announce they will not contest the next election and will step down from cabinet immediately.
- by James Massola and Paul Sakkal
Latest
1.2 million homes needed, but construction workers not yet on ‘core skills’ visa list
Migrants who are plumbers, roof tilers, painters or workers in other building trades are at risk of not being eligible for a core skills visa.
- by Olivia Ireland
Analysis
Political leadership
Who really runs the country? The secret roles of Albanese’s ministers
Anthony Albanese’s ministers have portfolios – they also have other roles: confidantes, influencers, attack dogs. And some are more equal than others.
- by James Massola
$1 million fines for ‘dodgy’ colleges in fresh crackdown
Legislation to be introduced on Wednesday will also weed out colleges misrepresenting themselves as prestigious institutions and void the registration of providers that have been inactive for 12 months.
- by Angus Thompson
Indian students rejected as Australia cracks down on ‘ghost colleges’
Data shows Australia approves far fewer student visas from India than China, despite government ministers visiting India to promote skills study.
- by Angus Thompson
‘Prune the tree’: Halting new colleges considered amid student visa crackdown
Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor says the government is also considering measures to weed out unscrupulous providers already in the vocational education and training system.
- by Angus Thompson
Exclusive
Skills shortage
Nation’s skills not match-fit for net zero, government agency warns
Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor is vowing to overhaul TAFE education as a key government agency warns the nation’s ability to achieve net zero is at risk while the tertiary sector can’t keep pace with demand.
- by Angus Thompson
Exclusive
International students
Further crackdown coming for VET sector to target ‘ghost colleges’
A crackdown on dormant Vocational Education and Training organisations that haven’t provided training for extended periods is one measure being considered by Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor has signalled after the boom in the number of “ghost colleges” in the VET sector.
- by Lisa Visentin
Energy, defence, medicines: How Australia can prepare for jobs of the future
New data shows that over the past year, about 92 per cent of employment growth has been in occupations that usually require a tertiary or vocational qualification.
- by Anthony Galloway
Exclusive
Vocational training
The secret shame stopping 3 million Australians from doing their jobs properly
The federal government wants training for millions of Australians who lack the basic literacy and numeracy skills required to gain better jobs and increase their wages.
- by David Crowe
Youth Allowance, Austudy payments to get biggest lift in decades
About a million young people will see their social welfare payments rise by the largest amount in years when they increase from January 1.
- by Rachel Clun
Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/brendan-patrick-oconnor-294