Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps I should have walked, but it was very easy for me to go, and I was privileged to go; however, many young Australians do not have that access at all. Why? Simply because they live in rural and regional areas. The coalition’s argument is that, if you honestly believe in equal access to Australia’s great higher education system, you must make this available to Indigenous students, disadvantaged students and those students living in regional and rural areas. Access is a noble aim, but let us be serious. With our amendments it is a commitment that this parliament can make to rural and regional Australians.