Andrew Gee (Calare, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion, Deputy Speaker, and I'm very pleased to do so and support this very important bill. I commend the member for Fowler for bringing it to this House. She certainly is a fighter for her electorate. She knows the importance of education to her constituents and she wants a better deal for them and also for students everywhere, all around this great nation of ours.

This bill is being introduced as it's critical that we give students who choose to study society, culture, humanities and arts a fair go. Last year when I rose to support this bill, I said that society, culture and arts subjects at our universities aren't just mere subjects to tack on to a degree; they're a critical source of learning which equips students to gain a greater depth of understanding about the communities and world in which we live. Importantly, these courses and subjects lay the foundation for careers in a wide variety of fields that benefit our communities and our country. So it's critical that we ensure that students can undertake these subjects and study them without being burdened with huge university debts. It's the last thing these students need, especially in a cost-of-living crisis.

Now, I certainly don't begrudge students studying STEM courses receiving lower course fees, and neither does the member for Fowler. I do, however, like the member for Fowler, question the effectiveness of the Job-ready Graduates Package. The evidence is that only a very small percentage of students changed their course selections as a result of the scheme being introduced, and it has also resulted in an inequitable and unfair student loans scheme. The Job-ready Graduates Package is a failure. It's a dud, and it needs to be overhauled. This bill is a step in the right direction towards greater fairness for uni students, and I'm very pleased to support it.

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