Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I draw Senator Lambie's attention to the fact that we've made very clear that, for next year, the performance-contingent funding would be contingent entirely upon universities delivering on the commitments they have made in response to reports and reforms around admissions processes and practices. These are undertakings universities had already committed to do. All we're doing is indicating that they need to meet those commitments and the performance funding will flow. We drafted and sent out to different sector stakeholders a discussion paper around the future implementation of performance funding to seek their feedback, having given the commitment that its ongoing design and operation would be done in consultation with the university leaderships and their representative bodies, and that is exactly what we are doing. Next year's standards are crystal clear. We have been very clear about the process for how it will be implemented thereafter, and we are committed to working with the university sector around that reform.