Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:00): My question is for the Minister for Higher Education. A recent survey by the Health and Community Services Union found 96 per cent of the workforce had witnessed violence in their workplace.
The workforce identifies a clear nexus between addiction and this violence. Allied health workers say they need more training and support. Many would like to be skilled by studying Dan Lubman’s graduate certificate in addictive behaviours at Monash University but cannot afford it.
The government already offers 10 scholarships in the graduate certificate to general and mental health nurses, so my question is this: would the minister consider expanding the number of scholarships offered and include all allied health workers, such as occupational therapists and social workers?
I spoke very quickly, thinking I did not have much time. This is around these allied workers being able to do further study and receive a certificate for it, particularly to study that graduate certificate in addictive behaviours.
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:02): I thank Ms Patten for her question. This is a matter that has not been raised with
me before by anyone, so I am happy to take more information on board with it.
Also in terms of what has been past practice, as the member would appreciate, in terms of the funding of higher education that is the primary responsibility of the commonwealth. But I am happy to receive further information in respect to this and, in particular, efforts in relation to building that pipeline of skilled workers that are needed in terms of government priority areas.
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:02): Thank you, Minister. I appreciate that, and I will seek to contact your office about this to provide further information. In many ways you have probably answered my supplementary, because I wanted to ask whether you would agree that it is urgent to upskill our allied health workforce.
This was one of the key recommendations of the mental health royal commission, so I wonder if I could seek from you also further information about any other scholarships or any other opportunities that these workers may be able to avail themselves of, appreciating that it is a federal responsibility, but there may be some state opportunities for them to avail themselves of.
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:03): I think one of the things that you might look at, and others in the house as well, is when I receive the statewide skills plan from the Victorian Skills Authority.
That will be in April, and that will indicate current and future shortages in the workforces and indeed alignment to those government priority areas. Of course health and allied health have always been a priority and are particularly at the moment, and we had that in mind when we constructed the membership of the ministerial advisory group that has been appointed for the Victorian Skills Authority.
I have tasked the CEO to provide me as a matter of priority with what needs to happen in terms of the health and allied health workforce, as well as construction in terms of major projects.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Question without notice 17/11/21
