Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stott-Despoja for her question. We in government are concerned about ensuring that there is improvement in the level of service provision for students. In regard to that measure, the government has provided $500 million for a Better Universities Renewal Fund in the 2008 budget, which will provide universities with money to support infrastructure in the key priority areas of information technology, laboratories, libraries, student study places, student teaching places and student amenities. The government does acknowledge that there is a need for student services and amenities and for students to have access to independent and democratic representation. Student services and amenities—counselling, child care, health services, sports clubs, societies and the like—are essential parts of a student’s life and have been hard hit by the previous government’s voluntary student unionism legislation.

Universities Australia estimates that $172.8 million was collected from student services and amenities charges in the year prior to the introduction of VSU and that, in total, $100 million was provided by the previous government in transitional funding over the following four years. So only a small proportion of funding previously received from fees prior to VSU was directed to sporting infrastructure grants. So, many universities do not have adequate student amenities, and a proportion of the $500 million Better Universities Renewal Fund of the 2008-09 budget will allow universities to provide support for amenities where needed. This funding will provide support while the government considers the written responses it has received from its discussion paper released earlier this year. That gives an opportunity to consider the feedback from the widespread consultations that are being undertaken by the Minister for Youth within the sector. The government have no plans to reinstate compulsory student unionism and we will not be returning to the hefty up-front fees that the previous government allowed to exist at some universities. I will ask the minister directly responsible whether or not she has anything further to add to that answer.