Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

If you go back to your membership, Senator Polley, in whatever union you represent here today I am sure your hardworking union members would back me up on this. They know that their taxpayer contribution should actually be a fair contribution. That is why I am so proud of our government for ensuring that we are providing a significant amount of support, a historic amount of support, to those young people who are going into the trades. I just paused there, Mr Acting Deputy President, because I was hoping I would get a clap for that one from the other side. We are actually supporting those going into trades with a historic amount of investment—yet nothing, no claps. There was silence.

One of the great things about our package as a whole is that it does address the parameters that affect potential first-generation graduates in families, those going into trades, those doing diplomas and associate diplomas. That is the important thing, that we have a suite of arrangements that does not just benefit the middle-class and entrench privilege, as Senator Carr said. It ensures that, no matter what you choose as a young person and no matter how you want to contribute and what future you see for yourself, you will have the opportunity to do that through post-secondary education in this country. It is not a bottomless pit.