Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025.

This is an essential piece of legislation borne out of the Australian Universities Accord, the most comprehensive review of Australia's higher education system in over a decade. This bill is not just a technical measure; it is the legislative foundation for transformative reform. It will establish ATEC, a new, independent steward of our tertiary education system. This is a proud Labor reform, a reform that puts students, equity and national prosperity at the heart of education policy.

For far too long, our tertiary education system has operated in silos, disconnected, fragmented and too often leaving behind the very students that deserve the greatest opportunity. The accord recognised this, recommending a joined-up, strategic and fair system that meets Australia's economic and social needs. The creation of ATEC will be a game changer. It will provide long-term policy and funding certainty for universities and students alike, something the sector has desperately needed. It will drive needs based funding that channels support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and to regional campuses that carry higher delivery costs. It will improve transparency, data and planning across the tertiary systems so governments, universities and students can invest with confidence. It will support a seamless pathway between VET and higher education, ensuring more Australians can gain the skills that employers need.

Right now, our universities are under pressure. They are operating with thin margins and grappling with costs and stretched resources. Without bold reform, we risk undermining our nation's ability to educate the skilled workforce of tomorrow. We are at a pivotal moment. The target set by the accord that 80 per cent of working-age Australians hold a tertiary qualification by 2050 is an ambitious national objective. To get there, we must act now, not later.

I know some will ask: Why legislate now? Why commit to ATEC? The answer is simple. It is because our universities cannot wait. Our students cannot wait. Our future cannot wait. Already the Albanese government is rolling out accord reforms, including shared funding for placements, preparatory programs and improved support to make higher education more accessible and affordable. But, without formalising ATEC in law, we risk losing the momentum of those gains and, with that, billions in funding and further reform opportunities. This bill won't solve every challenge overnight—no single law can—but it anchors the system in fairness, consistency and long-term vision.

So today I urge the Senate to support this bill. This is not a debate about politics. This is about nation building. Supporting this bill means backing students, giving them clearer pathways to qualifications without unnecessary barriers. It means backing universities, offering policy certainty that allows them to plan, invest and innovate. It means backing regional Australia, ensuring country campuses and regional students are not left behind. It means backing equity and fairness, direct support to those who need it the most. If you want a system that offers opportunity to every Australian regardless of their background, support this bill. Australia needs a strong, competitive tertiary sector. Partner with us in delivering it.

This is another example of the Albanese government backing excellence in education not just in words but in action. It is Labor that is lifting dreams, opening doors and building a future where every Australian can prosper. So let the Senate pass this legislation for our students, for our universities, for Australia's future. I commend the bill to the Senate.