Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s former training company appears to have claimed government funds for instruction hours that were never provided. 

An audit of SET Solutions, once operated by Crisafulli, was conducted in 2016 by EY for Victoria’s Department of Education and Training.

It allegedly reveals the company billed for 40 hours of training even for one-day courses. “The department has paid for training which has been delivered in significantly fewer hours that [sic] the scheduled hours claimed,” the report states. 

The findings were uncovered by the ABC under Freedom of Information.

SET Solutions, registered as Southern Edge Training and based in Melbourne, was struggling with financial and compliance issues before Crisafulli stepped in as sole director and CEO in December 2015. 

During his brief four-month leadership, which ended in April 2016, the audit found six instances where the hours claimed for funding exceeded actual instruction time. 

Courses in freight handling and health administration were logged for 40 hours despite being completed in a day, with one three-day course inflated to 80 hours.

In total, the report found 19 incidents of exaggerated claims throughout SET Solutions’ funding period, some predating Crisafulli’s leadership. 

Under Victoria’s funding contract, training providers were to report teaching hours monthly. 

The EY report suggests SET Solutions failed to correct or prevent over-claims through proper internal controls - an industry issue, according to vocational education consultants.

Crisafulli defended his involvement in a 2018 parliamentary session, saying he had tried to increase revenue, reduce costs, and attract new ownership, all without personal compensation. 

Though he rejected liquidators’ claims that the company was trading while insolvent, he later paid $200,000 to settle liquidator claims.

SET Solutions went into liquidation in June 2016. 

The audit raises ongoing concerns about oversight in the vocational education sector, including significant regulatory gaps.

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