by leave—I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Whilst I think we have all received a little Christmas wish in finishing the year listening to the member for Indi talk about student unions once more, I am not going to hold up the—

Mrs Mirabella interjecting

I was not being at all nasty, but I will now take the opportunity—

The minister will sit down. The member for Indi was granted the ability to make a statement with the indulgence of the chair. I believe that she is now honour bound to allow the minister to be heard in silence.

The final note on this debate on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2009, I would like to point out in response to some of the comments made opposite, is that it is not only that students are directly missing out on accessing services but also that students are indirectly suffering as a consequence of the previous government’s extreme and ideologically driven legislation. We have heard that universities’ budgets are under such strain that they have been forced to redirect funding away from teaching and learning and research budgets into propping up vital student services. In fact, the former Chair of Universities Australia, Richard Larkins, said that the Liberal Party’s approach:

… directly impaired our ability to deliver quality education and research. We had to use money … for research and teaching and use it to support the student experience on campus.

This is not just a small section of students who are suffering as a result of the previous government’s legislation. It is all students and it is our university sector as a whole. I urge all members to support this bill.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a third time.