Debate resumed from 16 October, on motion by Senator Sandy Macdonald:

That this bill be now read a second time.

upon which Senator Wong had moved by way of an amendment:

At the end of the motion, add “but the Senate condemns the Government for:

(a)

jeopardising Australia’s future prosperity by reducing public investment in tertiary education, as the rest of the world increases their investment;

(b)

failing to invest in education, training, distribution and retention measures to ensure that all of Australia has enough doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to meet current and future health care needs;

(c)

massively increasing the cost of the higher education contribution scheme, forcing students to pay up to $30,000 more for their degree;

(d)

creating an American style higher education system, where students pay more and more, with some full fee degrees costing more than $200,000, and nearly 100 full fee degrees costing more than $100,000;

(e)

massively increasing the debt burden on students with total higher education loan program debt now over $13 billion and projected to rise to $18.8 billion in 2009;

(f)

failing to address serious concerns about standards and quality in the higher education system, putting at risk Australia’s high educational reputation and fourth largest export industry; and

(g)

an inadequate and incoherent policy response to the needs of the university system to diversify, innovate and meet Australia’s higher education needs”.

(Quorum formed)