The new MacKillop South Gippsland Trades Skills Centre in Leongatha will help create pathways for local students into the workforce and on to valued careers, Member for for McMillan Russell Broadbent said.

Local students and staff in Leongatha can now make full use of the trade training facilities, which have been developed through the Australian Government’s funding commitment of $1,000,000.

“It was great to open the centre on Wednesday, September 20 and to see the new facilities first-hand,” Mr Broadbent said.

“The MacKillop South Gippsland Trades Skills Centre is all about equipping local students with the real skills they need to help them get the jobs that we will need in the future.

“Training centres like this enable local students to pursue vocational pathways and develop skills across a range of fields.

“There are many cities, communities and regions throughout Australia facing skills shortages in trades like carpentry, electrical, motor mechanics and plumbing.

“So the skills that students will develop at the MacKillop South Gippsland Trades Skills Centre will not only benefit Leongatha, they will be skills that could potentially put them on a pathway for jobs in industries anywhere in Australia.”

Mr Broadbent said the centre incorporates refurbished trade training facility and includes construction, automotive and electrotechnology workshops, a hothouse and new equipment to enrich student learning.

“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring vocational training meets the needs of industry and employers and to providing students with training, particularly in areas where there are skills shortages,” Mr Broadbent said.

“Skills training at secondary school provides a pathway to enter the workplace or to pursue further training after school. I congratulate the entire school community for its foresight in getting this centre up and running.”

 The Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, also congratulated MacKillop South Gippsland Trades Skills Centre on its official opening.

“Training centres like this give local students options to pursue vocational pathways and develop skills across a range of fields and in collaboration with local business,” Minister Andrews said.

“For the community in Leongatha, this is a great opportunity for young people to learn the skills in need locally and across Australia, and for business to support students.

“The Government has invested around $1.4 billion towards 511 projects that are supporting 1289 secondary schools,” Minister Andrews said.

“The Australian Government is committed to improving the quality of our schools and equipping students with the skills they need to succeed as they enter the world after school.”

https://youtu.be/HiNBmbkSEGs

Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent today officially announced almost $2 million in federal funds to upgrade sporting facilities in Moe.

Mr Broadbent made the announcements while visiting the two successful recipients, the Moe Newborough Keenagers (who will receive $1.1 million to build a dedicated table tennis facility) and members of the Moe Netball Association (who will receive $800,000 toward a move to new facilities at the Newborough sporting precinct).

“I congratulate all those people who have advocated on behalf of these two vital organisations – as well as giving thanks to Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash and Member for Gippsland Darren Chester, who have always had the best interest of the region at heart,” Mr Broadbent said.

The funds will come out of the Federal Government’s Latrobe Valley Local Jobs and Infrastructure Package, being delivered though the Community Development Grants programme.

“For the Moe Newborough Keenager table tennis players the funding of the Moe-Newborough Multi-Purpose Facility Redevelopment will mean a dedicated space for more than 100 members. It’s a fantastic win for the club, which has dedicated itself not just to table tennis but also social inclusion – offering an essential meeting place for many older citizens in the Moe region and beyond,” Mr Broadbent said.

“Of course, young people are coming along to play too, and the club is particularly busy in the school holidays, with children and grandparents utilising the tables together. Unfortunately the club had set a limit on its membership, with little opportunity to expand. I’m happy to say that is all about to change.”

Presently club members set up the table tennis tables on Latrobe Leisure’s basketball courts, packing them away at the end of each session. Moving the tables is an arduous and time consuming task.

In August, Mr Broadbent addressed Parliament, telling colleagues that “a long time ago the government of the day promised to spend $1 million” on the table tennis upgrade and it should, finally, be delivered.

“There’s a little problem that came up: we lost that election campaign, so that promise was never fulfilled. But we’ve never forgotten the promise,” he said.

“At the moment, because of the changes that are happening in Latrobe Valley I’ve got a proposition to upgrade the centre so that the Keenagers get a centre or a room for table tennis….So I’m promoting once again the opportunity for the whole centre to be rebuilt, revamped, re-established so that the Keenagers can have their day in the sun.”

Mr Broadbent said it was heartening his colleagues understood the merits of ensuring the success of both projects.

“The Moe Netball Association has also battled hard for many years advocating for the funding of a much needed redevelopment of its facilities, which have become worn over the past four decades. Being able to finally see the Moe Multi-Purpose Sports Centre project funding guaranteed is a wonderful thing for the competition,” Mr Broadbent said.

“Those players, committee people and parents certainly deserve what they’ve been asking for: a safe and friendly environment where the netballers of Moe and surrounds can participate in the sport they love.

“Netball remains a sport that encourages social inclusion and exercise across a broad demographic. This funding is essential not only for those playing today, but for the generations to come.”

   

 

Mr BROADBENT (McMillan) (17:53):  I wasn't going to speak on this motion regarding the melanoma and LEGO surf rescue project, but congratulations to the member for Greenway and a thankyou to the member for Kingsford Smith for drawing this to our attention. What a fantastic, amazing story. I hate melanoma, for good reason. These scars on my face don't come naturally. And I love LEGO. I hate melanoma; I love LEGO. This is one of the best stories. You should be getting a double-page spread in The Herald Sun on this issue on what Damien and Aiden MacRae have done.

I think the biggest thing in one of our households at the moment is PAW Patrol. Everything happens around PAW Patrol.

Now, we're just moving into that place of LEGO. I'm told the LEGO I have in my household, which we've had for more than 40 years, is now retro, which I was very disappointed about—it happened very quickly. My twin boys are nearly 40 and we still have the LEGO, we still have the train sets and we still have all the bits and pieces that go with it.

This innovation is probably one of the best stories I've heard in all the times since 1990 I've been in and out of this parliament. It's just a fantastic story. No-one can get the message. I still like being out in the sun without a hat on. I don't like hats. I'm of a generation that didn't like hats, yet my father was of the generation where they didn't go anywhere without a hat. The whole generation wore hats. They wore hats to the races. I went to the races with a hat on. It was a hot, sunny day and I was glad I had the hat. The photo went in the local paper and they said, 'Lose the hat. You look like a goose.' I thought it looked pretty good, actually. The trouble is that the message is not there. This is one of the most treasured ways I've ever heard. Congratulations Damien and Aiden MacRae and all who have been part of this project. What an amazing project. I hope you get really good coverage from this. I'd like to think I could support you in some way. But what a fantastic story. With a lot of the things we do in this place, you often wonder what your grandkids will say in 15 or 20 years' time and they ask, 'Pop, you were in parliament then. What did you say about the issue? What did you do about the issue?' For both members, the member for Greenway and the member for Kingsford Smith, it is a great story you are telling. I wish every story told in this parliament was like the one you've told today. I congratulate you both.

https://youtu.be/b4AYHvDFm_M

Russell Broadbent MP
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