Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

That has been said too by the vice-chancellor of the University of New England. Paul Wellings, the vice-chancellor of Wollongong University, has talked about how for the first time ever regional universities will be able to compete on price with capital-city universities and frame their scholarship offerings around relocation costs; tuition fees, potentially; living expenses; accommodation and extra tuition. The fabulous thing about this deregulation and this reform is that will create a dynamic university sector that is competing for students. When competition enters, the students will be the big winners. They will not only compete on price but on quality. They will have to make an offering that will attract students to their institution. Regional universities, because of the lifestyle they can offer and the lower cost of living, will actually be able to compete very successfully with capital city universities. Jim Barber, who used to be the Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England, says this is the most significant reform universities have ever seen and will be the opportunity that regional universities need to compete with sandstone universities.

It is sad that Labor comes into this place, now almost every day, and tries to frighten and scare students. Its scare campaign has already been exploded this week by the University of Western Australia. I finish with a quote from the Group of Eight universities executive director, Michael Gallagher

Ms Macklin interjecting—

See this speech in context