Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

And somebody foolishly interjects and says, 'Stinking rich.' This sort of class warfare is indicative of the Labor Party. I simply ask them this very simple question: do you honestly believe the 'stinking rich', to use that term, are not at university already? Who do you think is going to benefit from the 80,000 extra places? It will be those from the lower socioeconomic groupings in our nation that currently do not get the opportunity to do so. I would have thought the alleged champions of the working class would have embraced this policy as something which would open the door for another 80,000 of our young Australians to access a tertiary education—because we know that, if you go to university and get a degree, there is every likelihood that throughout your life as an earner you will earn $1 million more than somebody without a university degree. We are opening up that opportunity to another 80,000 per annum. I think everybody in Australia should be embracing that approach. (Time expired)