Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank senators for their contributions to this debate. The bill will improve a quality of access to higher education and support the government's commitment to building a highly skilled workforce. Our election commitment to remove the 10 per cent HECS-HELP discount for upfront payments is projected to save $144 million over the forward estimates—a saving which will help fund the government's 20,000 new university places, which have been allocated to students who are underrepresented in our universities and which are also dedicated to those areas where we face skills challenges. It's another step forward for fairer access to higher education across the country.

The extension of the FEE-HELP loan fee exemption for a further 12 months will support full-fee-paying undergraduates and their providers as the sector recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also supports the development of innovative, flexible and industry focused higher education programs by extending FEE-HELP to the government's microcredential pilot. It improves the operation of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 by clarifying the treatment of enabling courses and unique student identifier requirements, and by aligning HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP citizenship and residency requirements for New Zealand citizens across a Commonwealth supported place.

Once again, I thank the senators for their contributions to this debate, and I commend the bill to the chamber.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.