Premier shares TAFE budget news at SMB

PREMIER Jacinta Allan chose Ballarat to announce last Friday that millions of dollars more will be allocated to Free TAFE in the 2026-27 budget.

The Premier, her new TAFE Minister Colin Brooks, Eureka MP and new minister Michaela Settle, and Wendouree MP Juliana Addison visited Federation University’s SMB TAFE campus to make the announcement.

They are pictured with Federation University officials and TAFE students during the visit.

The budget will include $10 million for TAFE campus upgrades, $5.4 million in partnership with the federal government for the VET Educator Academy, and more support for students to help them complete their courses.

TAFE funding will be part of a $459.4 million investment in skills and training and is expected to create 15,000 more Free TAFE places.

The budget will also fund three new TAFE Centres of Excellence in a state and federal partnership.