Bob Day (SA, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before asking that the motion be taken as formal, I wish to inform the Senate that Senator Lazarus will no longer be sponsoring this motion but I wish to add Senator Bernardi to the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Madigan, Wang, Leyonhjelm and Bernardi, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) over one million Australian tertiary students are forced to pay up to $286 per year as a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF),

(ii) students at the moment have very little say in how the SSAF monies are spent by their universities and student associations, and

(iii) SSAF is levied regardless of students' need, willingness and ability to access the services and activities they are paying for; and

(b) calls on the Government to amend the Higher Education Support Act so That the SSAF can only be levied with the support of the majority of students at each university campus in a mandatory ballot conducted once an academic year.