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

I thank Senator Faruqi for her question, although I disagree with much of the information that she presented as fact in that question. I do think there are a couple of granules within all of that—that there are too many graduates coming out of universities at present who are not necessarily securing a well-paying job, particularly a job in the field of their studies. The reforms we are presenting in relation to higher education seek to address some of those problems to ensure that the way in which students are encouraged into university and supported through university results in the optimal chances of their securing a job—and indeed a job in the field of their training, study and, ideally, desires.

Contrary to what Senator Faruqi says, there are no cuts in Commonwealth funding or support. Indeed, funding for the Commonwealth Grants Scheme will continue to increase by CPI, and overall university funding will increase from $18 billion in 2020 to $19 billion by 2022. That will be some 10 per cent growth relative to the 2018 position. Minister Tehan published the draft legislation of our Job-ready Graduates Package for consultation and has now worked through that consultation phase and has presented a plan that will create more places for more students to attend university: an additional 39,000 places by 2023 and an additional 100,000 places by 2030. No existing student is going to see changes in relation to their fees, but universities will see their record funding continuing to grow whilst we create the right incentives to encourage students to study in areas that optimise the chances of their securing our economic needs of the future. (Time expired)