Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz says that was the only time when I did anything good, and that may be the view of quite a few in this chamber! I will not restate what I said back then. I think it is going too far when orientation programs are dropped, student academic advocacy is stalled, regional students are disadvantaged and counselling services are cancelled—and they have been. Recent university graduates have told me that they have literally caught the train to uni for a lecture and then, as soon as it was over, caught the train back home. Young people no longer engage in their university's theatre group, sports team, international exchange group or debating team. On the less social side, who will students turn to if they need counselling or support without the amenities that these fees will allow for? Without these sorts of resources, what sort of university life do we want students to have?

I do believe it is important that if students are asked to pay that they can be assured that what they pay goes into student services and not university coffers. I understand that the government has amended its guidelines to ensure this and this has been supported by universities. I believe that the future of our students, our universities and our nation deserves nothing less than a vibrant and vigorous higher education sector and I believe the end of the VSU and the passage of this legislation is a positive step in this direction.