Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

As I begin my second term in this House, I want to restate something very important: this bill remains at the very top of my agenda. It's not just another piece of legislation that will come and go. It is a call for justice, fairness, and equity in our education system—a system that should be an engine of opportunity for all young Australians, no matter their background or postcode.

We all know the government has made some meaningful moves recently. The reduction of HECS debt by 20 per cent is welcome news for many students struggling under the weight of years of accumulated higher education costs. But, frankly, it's a temporary fix—a sugar hit that masks a far bigger wound in our higher education system.

The real problem we face stems from a policy introduced some years ago—the Job-ready Graduates scheme, or JRG for short. This policy was meant to reshape university fees to better align with job market needs—particularly to encourage more students into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

But here's the problem: the JRG has caused real harm. Despite its good intentions—and it started with very good intentions, but all roads to hell are made with good intention—it has led to drastic fee increases for students studying arts and humanities, fees that are now more than three times higher than they were before, while fees for STEM, education, and agriculture degrees have remained comparatively stable.

Let me be very clear here—I am not questioning the importance of STEM. We all acknowledge that Australia needs more scientists, engineers, technologists and innovators to compete in a global economy and solve complex problems ahead. But what we cannot accept is a system that places a higher monetary value on some degrees over others, effectively creating a two-tiered university system.

The JRG is, in effect, using financial deterrence to push students away from arts and humanities degrees. Arts students are being asked to pay significantly more, and the message is clear: your chosen field is less valuable to this country. But this policy hasn't worked the way it was intended. Students are not abandoning arts degrees en masse. They continue to pursue their passion, but they're now saddled with debts that are much heavier and more burdensome than before.

Who feels this impact the most? It's students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, Indigenous students, women and those from non-English-speaking backgrounds—the people I represent in electorates like Fowler, where communities are vibrant and diverse but face economic hardship every day.

I hear from countless young people just trying to get an education, just trying to build a better future. And it's not just the soaring fees—they tell me it's also the day-to-day struggles: the costs of travel to and from campus, often on a patchy and unreliable public transport system; the costs of textbooks and learning materials; the expenses of food and basic living while they study. These costs add up long before they even begin to think about the HECS debt waiting for them after graduation.

So I ask again—how is it fair that these students are punished simply for wanting to study subjects they love and are passionate about? How is it fair that aspiring archaeologists, historians, artists, anthropologists and social scientists are told their ambitions come with a far greater price tag than their peers studying engineering or computer science?

I believe this is fundamentally unfair, and I know many members in this House will agree.

The JRG policy rested on a flawed assumption: that by hiking fees for certain degrees, students would automatically choose to study 'more job-ready' STEM fields instead. But humans are not that simple. Passions, talents and interests drive students as much as financial realities. Many students continue to choose arts and humanities despite the heavy financial cost—with no government support or relief.

The result? Too many young Australians are now entering the workforce burdened by crushing debts directly tied to choices they made out of love for their field, a desire to contribute culturally and intellectually or a commitment to addressing complex social issues.

We know that Australia cannot thrive on STEM alone. Our society, culture, economy and democracy require a broad and diverse knowledge base. Fields like history, literature, anthropology, politics and philosophy provide essential lenses to understand who we are as a nation and where we need to go.

In particular, as we work towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the education provided by arts, humanities and social sciences is crucial. These subjects help us understand our shared history, respect cultural identities and build a future founded on truth and mutual respect.

Moreover, arts and humanities graduates contribute significantly to sectors that shape our society—education, public service, social justice, the creative industries, media and beyond. They are the thinkers, creators and leaders who enrich our national life.

The mistaken stigma that arts degrees don't lead to meaningful careers is outdated, harmful and perpetuated by policies like the JRG. I am a beneficiary of an arts degree focusing on political science and creatives as well. The Universities Accord's interim report in July 2023 reinforced this truth—calling the current fee structure damaging and urging an urgent redesign.

But despite these clear warnings, the government's response has been slow and insufficient. Students and universities are left waiting—with little clarity, no relief, and continued uncertainty about their financial future.

As members of this parliament, our role is to make life better for Australians, not harder. We're here to fix policies that hold people back, deepen inequality, or force young people to make impossible choices about their education and futures.

This bill is about doing exactly that—correcting a deeply flawed system that disproportionately punishes students from disadvantaged communities. Students in Western Sydney and electorates like mine want to study subjects that inspire them; they deserve an education system that supports those dreams fairly.

I have said it before, and I will say it again: the JRG promotes inequity and punishes young Australians pursuing degrees vital to the intellectual and cultural fabric of this nation.

Reforming this policy is not about fair fees—it's about protecting the diversity of skills and knowledge this country so desperately needs.

That's why I am passionate about bringing this bill back to parliament—to shine a light on this injustice and demand change.

When we lift barriers and create an education system that values every field of study, we invest not just in individuals but in the future of Australia itself.

I commend this bill to the House and, with that, I gladly hand over my remaining time to the member for Calare.

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