Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I thank those senators who have contributed to this debate on the Higher Education Support (Charges) Bill 2019 and the Higher Education Support Amendment (Cost Recovery) Bill 2019. As senators have noted, these bills seek to provide for a process where higher education providers who are seeking approval under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 will face an annual cost recovery charge in relation to the administration arrangements around HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP assistance under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. This modest annual charge will partially recover from higher education providers the costs incurred by the Commonwealth in administering the HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP programs. These programs, of course, are essential in terms of the support that they provide to Australian students to access higher education opportunities without facing any upfront fees.

The measures, as we've outlined, are consistent with the Australian Government Charging Framework, linking the cost of providing regulatory services to higher education providers that benefit from having access to the Commonwealth balance sheet to provide low-cost, income-contingent student loans on terms that would not be available under any commercial financing arrangements. Clearly, access to these loans is not only of benefit and essential to the equity of higher education students but also of significant benefit to higher education providers in terms of their attractiveness as a destination for students. The measures will also raise awareness in the higher education sector of the costs incurred by the Commonwealth for the regulatory arrangements of these programs.

I thank members for their contributions during the debate and the opposition for their indication that they will be supporting passage of these bills, and I thank them for the ongoing bipartisan support shown to the HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP programs. I commend the bills to the Senate.