TROY BELL MP
Member for Mount Gambier
Your Independent voice
in State Parliament
MP Supports Board Changes
Friday September 06, 2024Published by The Border Watch by Charlotte Varcoe
MEMBER for Mount Gambier Troy Bell supports changes to the Construction Industry Training Fund Bill.
Members of Parliament debated the amendment which changed the composition of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), mandating the appointment of four employee representatives and four employer representatives following consultation with key organisations.
Mr Bell said in parliament last week there had been a lot of talk about the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and highlighted the forestry sector as a section within it of which he had only had positive interactions with.
"Whilst we do not always agree, it (forestry) is the largest employer in my region," Mr Bell said.
"I have only ever seen them fight for, as a representative body, the workers in terms of safety, in terms of pay and in terms of conditions."
He said he also recognised the efforts the union made on behalf of the "largest employment group" in the region.
"In terms of the construction industry and in particular the CITB, I have been privileged over my journey to see the very good that can come out of a Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)," Mr Bell said.
"I firmly believe that pathways start at a school level.
"The CITB was a very active part of a constructions pathways program that a very good friend of mine Paul Jupe put together in Mount Gambier at Grant High School where they would actually build a transportable house on site with all the trades that go with that and then sell that transportable and the money would be reinvested back into the training program."
He said the Doorways2Construction program brought students from all around the region to Grant High School and different schools one day per week.
"That would not have been possible with education department funding alone," Mr Bell said.
"The CITB played a crucial role in providing top-up funding and extra resources to come on board and support that program."
Mr Bell also noted the work of Group Training Employment and encouraged more youth to take up a job in the industry.
"I think the CITB has done a wonderful job over many years in promoting that and doing exactly what I am talking about," Mr Bell said.
"Going forward, I obviously want to encourage more young people to look at apprenticeships and trades because there is a serious pipeline there and opportunities where young people can make very good futures for themselves, for their families and the community that they are involved in."