Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research representing the Minister for Education, Senator Carr. Can the minister inform the Senate why reform to Australia’s student income support regime is so urgently needed? Can the minister advise the Senate how the university sector has responded to the government’s proposed reforms?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for that question. The Liberal and National parties were antistudent when they were in government and they are antistudent now. Nothing has changed. The Liberal and National parties have left Australia with an inadequate system of student income support and this is simply not delivering for those who need it most. I specifically referred to people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and students from rural and regional areas. The government’s reforms fix this. They will make student support more available for students.

Yesterday virtually every vice-chancellor in this country wrote to senators seeking their support for the government’s reforms. Vice-chancellors said that our reform package:

... properly targets less well-off students across Australia for whom income support is critical.

They said the increases to the parental and personal income thresholds will mean that more students from lower socio-economic backgrounds will be able to access the full rate of Youth Allowance. Australia’s university leaders understand, even if those opposite do not, that this package will mean that a greater number of needy students will be able to attend university and meet their upfront expenses. They understand, even if those opposite do not, that we need to ensure that publicly funded student income support is more appropriately targeted.

Students around the country are already on campus for orientation week. Thousands of them are wondering if they can afford to stay. The government wants to end this uncertainty right now. It is time for the opposition to stop using these young Australians as political playthings. It is time for the opposition to come clean and support the students of this country. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate whether there is general community support for the government’s reforms? How many students are likely to benefit from the proposed changes?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government’s reforms are supported by every state and territory education minister, every university group and the National Union of Students. They are supported by the Australian Greens, by Senator Xenophon and by every Independent member of the House of Representatives. The opposition is completely out of touch with mainstream Australia on this matter. The government’s reforms will deliver new scholarships to all university students on income support—that is, 150,000 young Australians. The opposition cares nothing about these students. It cares nothing about working parents who have to scrimp and save to get their kids to university. All the opposition cares about is playing sordid political games. They have been hostile to students in government and now in opposition. Nothing has changed.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the government’s reforms will affect students from rural and regional Australia?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government is determined to ensure that rural and regional students do get a fair go when they are attending universities. In the last five years of the coalition government, the number of students from the bush going to universities fell. But this is worse than just incompetence. It is a betrayal by the National Party, and that perfidy continues. The government’s reforms will increase support for rural and regional students. But the opposition says, no, it would rather have a cheap headline. Tony Abbott, of course he says that he loves to have a fight, and apparently that fighting includes fighting Australian families. It is time for the opposition to abandon its campaign of obstructionism, its campaign of sabotage, and start thinking about Australia’s future. (Time expired)