Skills minister Michaelia Cash announces a “rapid review” of ASQA, “to inform a 12 to 18 month program of improvements that will ensure regulation by Australian Skills Quality Authority is  transparent and effective”

The review will be over-sighted by the expert panel advising the government on implementing recommendations in Steven Joyce’s training review – Mr Joyce, Peter Noonan (chair of the newly completed review of the Australian Qualifications Framework) and business leader Vanessa Guthrie.

Ms Cash says there is $18m “in response” to Mr Joyce’s report and Valerie Braithwaite’s review of the ASQA legislation, to;

* expand ASQA’s role in explaining their regulatory requirements to training providers

* improve the Authority’s “regulatory approach to support quality delivery”

* ensure “audit decisions are transparent, and training providers have the right information and support to deliver training best practice”

* ensure ASQA “has the data and feedback it needs to identify and remove poor quality providers”

Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia was quick to endorse the announcement; “this is great news for quality VET providers that have a strong focus on supporting students within the confines of a complex regulatory system.  ASQA had argued in the past that its role was not to educate the sector. We always disagreed with this view, so the new pathway is most welcome,” CEO Troy Williams said yesterday.