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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (3 April) . . Page.. 1324 ..

MS GALLAGHER (continuing):

give effect to ministerial arrangements for national consistency in the regulation of vocational education and training and higher education.

All states and territories have worked together to establish a national training system that mutually recognises high-quality vocational training organisations and, more importantly, deregisters any poorly performing training organisation. Model clauses were collaboratively developed to bring legislation around the country into alignment. All other states and territories have agreed to implement the intent of the model clauses, which were the product of extensive national consultation.

I wrote to all members recently and included a copy of the model clauses and the Australian quality training framework standards for registered training organisations that underpin them. I also included the national protocols for higher education to highlight the extent of the national cooperation. The government's commitment to consultation has involved extensive participation in national forums about quality issues.

The ACT is the first jurisdiction to embed the model clauses in new legislation. This is a demonstration of our commitment to a high-quality vocational education and training system and sends a clear message of our support for the Australian quality training framework. Only the highest standards are appropriate for those delivering vocational training in the ACT.

The other important group covered by these bills is the non-university higher education sector. This is an area of increasing educational activity, one that was not adequately covered by the previous legislation. Again, there is a spirit of national cooperation, with nationally agreed protocols for the regulation of non-university providers of higher education. The national protocols for higher education are reflected in the Tertiary Accreditation and Registration Bill.

The ACT Accreditation and Registration Council will oversight both the vocational and higher education accreditation and registration. The council was established in 1995 under the ACT Vocational Education and Training Act 1995, and its functions have been expanded to reflect the changes in tertiary education and training since that time.

I will briefly outline the Tertiary Education and Registration Bill. The role and function of the Accreditation and Registration Council is a key feature of the legislation, together with the registration of vocational education and training providers and the accreditation of their courses. The bill provides for compliance audits of all registered training organisations and provides a process for them to gain national recognition once registered here in the ACT.

The bill also provides for the council to register non-university providers seeking to deliver higher education qualifications. Existing universities are covered by their own legislation and are excluded from the provisions of this bill.

For the first time the ACT will have more than administrative processes to cover the establishment and recognition of a university in the ACT. While we are not expecting a flood of applications, this section is needed to comply with the national protocols for higher education that I mentioned earlier. The bill covers an interstate university seeking

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