A Dutton Coalition Government will commit $18 million to build new Hunter Trade College In Maitland
The Hon Sussan Ley MP
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training
Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Farrer
Laurence Antcliff
Liberal Candidate for Paterson
Sue Gilroy
Nationals Candidate for Hunter
Emma King
Liberal Candidate for Shortland
Asarri McPhee
Liberal Candidate for Newcastle
Joint Media Release
A Dutton Coalition Government will deliver its first new flagship Australian Technical College in Maitland by committing $18 million as part of the total project cost of $25 million to build a new Hunter Trade College.
This commitment will deliver a new expanded Hunter Trade College campus in Maitland. This new campus will more than double the existing capacity of Hunter Trade College from around 250 students to over 500 students.
The new Hunter Trade College will be the first new Australian Technical College built as part of the Coalition’s new national network of 12 Australian Technical Colleges.
Hunter Trade College was established in 2006 through the Howard Government’s Australian Technical Colleges program and is a combined accredited school and registered training organisation. It offers the HSC program for Years 11 and 12 and focuses on five key trade shortage areas: automotive, construction, electrotechnology, plumbing, and metal engineering.
Australian Technical Colleges are specialist skills schools for years 10-12 or 11-12. Students are enrolled in a School-based apprenticeship or traineeship as well as academic and business courses that lead to a Year 12 certificate.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Skills and Training, Sussan Ley said building a new and expanded Hunter Trade College in Maitland was the perfect first commitment as part of a new national network of Australian Technical Colleges.
“Hunter Trade College is an outstanding school and is a national asset, we are going to take what they do at Hunter Trade College across Australia.
“If we are going to build the homes we need, back our manufacturers and miners with local workers and to care for our growing and aging population we are going to need to increase the number of Australians taking up skills – we need to build new schools.
“Laurence Antcliff’s advocacy for this critical expansion of this Australian Technical College has been incredible. Meeting the students with Laurence made it clear to me we needed to back in this project.”
“We have always rejected the idea that if you haven’t made it to university then you haven’t made it in life — and that principle underpins this significant announcement.”
Liberal candidate for Paterson, Laurence Antcliff said this was the most important investment in training the region has seen in a generation.
“I’ve spent over a decade leading Australia’s largest apprentice network in construction — backing more than 450 young tradies and 250 small businesses. I don’t just talk about skills — I have built the pipeline. This Trade College is the result of that work, and I fought to bring it here.”
“It will double our capacity, fix the broken apprentice pipeline, and finally give our kids a clear path into high-paying, high-demand jobs — right here in the Hunter.”
“Labor let the system fall apart. I’ve seen it firsthand — businesses desperate for workers, young people locked out of opportunity. That’s why I fought for this college. I know it works, and I know how to deliver. This is just the beginning.”
Liberal Candidate for Shortland, Emma King: “Our region needs more tradies and this announcement will mean that young people in our region will have better pathways into better skilled jobs.”
Nationals Candidate for Hunter, Sue Gilroy: “These Australian Technical Colleges provide options for trades and skills. Skills are for life and provide real options for these kids when mainstream school may not be for them. Fantastic announcement today that will not only Paterson electorate but neighbouring electorates like Hunter.”
Liberal Candidate for Newcastle, Asarri McPhee:”As a Bricklayer and a TAFE teacher myself, I know the value of good training for young apprentices, and this announcement will help our local young people on a pathway to a great career.”
A new national network of Australian Technical Colleges is part of our Our Plan to Back Australia's Skilled Workforce. Our plan also includes our commitment to return the apprentice and trainee pipeline to over 400,000; our $12,000 small and medium business apprentice and trainee wage support; and our $5,000 to $10,000 apprentice wage supplements through our Key Apprentice Program.
Under Labor training numbers have collapsed. Labor promised to deliver “more apprentices and more trainees” yet have overseen a loss of 90,000 apprentices and trainees. Labor has spent over $1.5 billion on its Free TAFE program but we have seen the new starts of construction trade apprentices drop by 30 per cent. It is why we are building fewer homes.
Only the Coalition has a comprehensive plan to skill more Australians, build more homes and get Australia back on track.
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