Senate debates

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Questions without Notice

Higher Education

2:58 pm

Photo of Bridget McKenzieBridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, representing the Minister for Education, Senator Payne. Will the minister explain to the Senate how the government's higher education reforms create opportunities for more Australian students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds?

2:59 pm

Photo of Marise PayneMarise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie for her extensive interest in this area. What we have with our higher education reform package is a very fair and balanced package which is going to spread opportunity for students and also ensure that as a nation Australia is not left behind in the global tertiary education competition. For the first time ever, all Australian undergraduate students in registered higher education institutions will be supported for all accredited courses—their higher education diplomas, their advanced diplomas, their associate degrees and their bachelor degrees. That support will be available for students whether they choose to study at universities, at TAFEs or at private colleges. That means over 80,000 additional students a year, as Senator Abetz said earlier in question time, will be supported by the Commonwealth by 2018 as part of these far-reaching reforms.

It is no wonder our higher education reform package has been widely welcomed, including of course by the South Australian Labor government—as I think I have mentioned in the chamber before. These courses are disproportionately undertaken by students who come from low-SES backgrounds. At the moment, under the system which the government inherited from those opposite—who did not address this issue at all—many of those students either cannot get a place or have to pay more for a Commonwealth supported undergraduate place. Our reform package is going to address that problem. We are going to support Australian students in choosing and getting ready for the course that is right for them. We have also created the HECS-style trade support loans for apprentices to support Australian students in choosing and succeeding on the path that is right for them, as well as creating opportunities for students through diplomas and other qualifications.

Senator Cameron interjecting

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cameron!

Photo of Marise PayneMarise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I know those opposite do not want to have that opportunity extended across the student population. I know they are not interested—but we are. (Time expired)

3:01 pm

Photo of Bridget McKenzieBridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain to the Senate how initiatives in the government's reform package for universities provide direct benefits for students who are the first in their family to go to university or who may be less prepared for university?

Photo of Marise PayneMarise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

This is a very important aspect of the government's reform package.

Senator Cameron interjecting

As I indicated earlier, the provision of Commonwealth supported places to all students of higher education diplomas, of advanced diplomas and of associate degrees in all registered higher education institutions creates great opportunities for tens of thousands of students, students the government cares about and those opposite—as evidenced by Senator Cameron's behaviour—do not. It includes students who are first-in-family university students and those who are less prepared for university. These government reforms will provide unprecedented support for their pathways, enabling them to get to university and to stay there, whether it is in diploma programs or other routes that they choose. The evidence, which was set out in the Kemp-Norton report, is compelling. It shows that pathway programs do an exceptional job. (Time expired)

3:02 pm

Photo of Bridget McKenzieBridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister advise the Senate what other benefits will flow to students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds from the government's proposed higher education reforms?

Photo of Marise PayneMarise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

As well as being interested in the pathway programs I was just talking about, which are very valuable, in asking that question Senator McKenzie is showing an interest in the creation of the Commonwealth scholarships. These scholarships are going to provide strong support—with living costs and in other ways—for students from low socio-economic status backgrounds. That will include a lot of Indigenous students and students from rural and regional Australia, as well as other students from more challenged environments.

We are taking other steps in this space as well. We are abolishing the 20 per cent loan fee for VET FEE-HELP. We believe that will help around 80,000 students, saving them on average around $1,600. Let us not forget that no student has to pay a dollar up-front or to repay their HELP loan until they are earning $50,000. Let us also not forget that those opposite made massive cuts to higher education. Over their term, those cuts totalled $6.6 billion, including $2.8 billion on just one day. (Time expired)

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.