Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said VET remained “the engine room delivering the skilled workforce our communities need and rely on every day”.
Julian Hill also highlighted Australia’s multicultural identity and the strength of the Indian diaspora, remarking that “the most common surname among Australian-registered cricket players is Singh”.
The couple, who had CCTV, security alarms and a guard dog, said the intruders allegedly forced their way in through the laundry door using a knife before fleeing with two cars.
“A local Hindu temple was robbed in broad daylight, with bystanders seemingly frozen, possibly fearing the thieves were armed. Our places of worship must be protected.”
Authorities claim the man had used a device to send messages seeking assistance with explosive devices, military and tactical training, weapons manufacturing, combat techniques and the creation of fake documents.
“He, as you will see, is a follower of the Sikh religion, so prison would place a hardship on him as opposed to someone who was born and raised in New Zealand.”
The 18-month investigation, known as Project Bay, uncovered an alleged cross-border trafficking operation that used commercial trucking routes to move massive quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and opium between the United States and Canada.
