Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

With respect, I don't think you've actually explained that; you've just said: 'Privates are out. I'm making a policy point.' If we're serious that the federal government should have—and I agree with this proposition; I think it's unremarkable—the primary responsibility for Australia's foreign policy and external relations, surely, as a matter of policy, you would include private universities? On this, we've had a whole range of evidence put before the Senate committee, in the public arena and through the intelligence committee inquiry about the actions of universities. Is there a constitutional reason why private universities are not included, or is it just the privileging of Bond University and others?