Cutting red tape and fees to improve training

The Australian Government is taking action to cut red tape and eliminate fees imposed on training providers when minor changes are made to training packages.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane today announced the first in a series of changes to reduce red tape in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

“From July 1, it will be easier for registered training organisations to manage changes to training packages,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“When a training package qualification is changed, but the vocational outcome remains the same, training providers will no longer need to apply to their regulator or pay a fee to update their registration.

“This is a common sense approach developed as a direct result of listening to industry and training providers and their ideas for reform.

“Minor updates to training packages do not represent a significant risk to a training provider’s capacity to deliver.

“This is a practical example of the Government’s commitment to cut red tape and make it easier for Australian businesses to do business.

“Since we began our VET reform agenda, the Government has received the message loud and clear from training providers that we need to remove the unnecessary paperwork and processes which cost them time and money.”

Minister Macfarlane welcomed this initiative from the national VET regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

“I understand that Victoria and Western Australia are considering the implementation of similar options for reducing regulatory burden, and I welcome the co-operative approach taken by the Victorian Minister for Higher Education and Skills, the Hon Nick Wakeling MP, and the Western Australian Deputy Premier, the Hon Dr Kim Hames MLA,” Mr Macfarlane said.

Ministers responsible for skills across all Governments agreed on objectives for reform of the VET system at the inaugural meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Industry and Skills Council in April 2014.

The announcement today begins to address the broader issue of the burden on the VET sector arising from the constant updates to training packages that was identified as a priority by Ministers at that meeting.

Additional measures to address this issue are being developed in consultation with stakeholders and the Australian Government welcomes the advice recently received from the Industry Skills Council Forum on ways to support the system while reducing red tape.