24th Aug 2020, 6:08 PM – Senate National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020 - in Committee - Broaden representation on ASQA's advisory council

The same number of senators voted for and against the amendment, which means it didn't achieve majority and so failed. The amendment was introduced by WA Senator Louise Pratt (Labor), who explained that:

The purpose of our amendment is to ensure that there is TAFE, union and employer sector representation on ASQA's advisory council. Labor very much believes—and we look for the chamber's support on this issue—that it is critical that there is a public provider at the table and that the legislation before us today should mandate that this is so. Given the important role this council will have in providing strategic advice about regulatory matters, it is indeed an imperative that the council represents a cross-section of the sector while also providing essential expertise.

Amendment text

(1) Schedule 1, item 41, page 15 (after line 24), after section 177, insert:

177A Membership—TAFE sector and union representatives

The membership of the Advisory Council must include representatives of the following:

(a) public technical and further education (TAFE) sector;

(b) trade unions.