Senate debates

Monday, 17 August 2009

Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and Other Measures) Bill 2009

In Committee

9:46 pm

Photo of Sarah Hanson-YoungSarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Could I get some clarification? The Greens amendment seeks to ensure that there is compliance, that there is transparency and that it is not just referring to the compliance mechanisms that are already listed in the act and which are a given. We are trying to ensure that there is an explicit reference. These things need to be transparent and how the money is spent needs to be published as part of the end-of-year financial reporting mechanisms. Can you explain the coalition’s concerns? I understand that Senator Xenophon has a letter from the government, which I do not have. My understanding is that they were simply referencing some compliance mechanisms that are already in the act, but my understanding is that we need to be a bit more explicit if we are to say that these that there are new fees and new things the universities have to do—let’s make it explicit; we need this transparency.

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