Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Recent analysis shows that those who take time off work to have children will pay around $120,000, in today's dollars, for an accounting degree, including about $45,000 in interest, which would now take 36 years to pay off. Will the Prime Minister guarantee that women who take time off to have children will not be paying off their university degrees for the next 36 years as a result of the Prime Minister's broken promise?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just wish to make two points in response to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The first point is that anyone going to an Australian university to do an undergraduate degree will have the course fees, whatever the fees are, covered by FEE-HELP. So no-one need pay a single cent up-front—

Ms Kate Ellis interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Adelaide will desist and hear the answer.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and I have to say it will be the most advantageous loan they ever receive under the conditions that this government has put forward. I simply reject this suggestion that there is something fundamentally wrong with a deregulated university system. I simply reject the idea being peddled by members opposite that our universities are not capable of governing themselves and that prospective students are not capable of making intelligent decisions about their future. And I am not alone in my support for a deregulated university system. Let me quote:

Market based HECS—

that is to say, market based fees—

will also help to improve our higher education system by making universities even more responsive to student needs and educational outcomes …

Well, who was this wise man? Who was this guru, this sage, this seer, this prophet? None other than Labor's Assistant Treasurer. I can understand why not too many of his colleagues want to sit next to him—I think at the moment he's got a bit of a communicable disease down there! Do you know what it is? It's common sense—only it's not very catching with members opposite!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, a point of order: a moment ago you asked for a bit of maturity within the parliament. The Prime Minister should abide by that ruling.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order that you have addressed. The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The result of the changes which this government is putting in place will be a better funded, more dynamic and competitive education sector. That is not me, that is Labor's Assistant Treasurer, and he is absolutely right. His common sense should be heeded by people like the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.