Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to speak briefly to the coalition's amendments. It is important that government policy is subject to thorough review so that we can see what's working and what's not working. The amendments moved by the coalition bolster the review amendment made by Sophie Scamps MP in the lower house, and the review will encourage the government to consider whether student debt relief should be offered to students in other sectors of high skills need in rural, remote and very remote Australia, including in the health, mental health and education sectors.

Colleagues in here would be in no doubt that our position is that education should be universal and free, and that debts should be wiped off so students don't come out of higher education with massive debts. I do have to say this, though: it is a bit rich that the coalition—the party of job-ready graduates, the party of funding cuts and fee hikes and the party that has treated uni students and universities like ideological enemies for over 10 years—now wants the government to give greater consideration to student debt relief. But I guess change for good can happen at any time, even from those who have attacked the higher education sector so viciously over the last some years.

As a party committed to transparency and accountability, to wiping all student debt, and to making education universal and free, we will support these amendments.