Senate debates
Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Motions
Job-ready Graduates Package
4:41 pm
Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1023 be taken as a formal motion.
Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?
An honourable senator: Yes.
There is an objection.
Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the motion being moved immediately and determined without amendment or debate.
Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The question is that the motion moved by Senator Steele-John to suspend standing orders to allow this motion to be attended to be agreed to.
Question agreed to.
Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I, and also on behalf of Senator Faruqi, move:
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) 2021 is the first year of university study under the Morrison Government's fee hikes and funding cuts,
(ii) the Job-ready Graduates Package more than doubled fees for new students in some of the most popular university courses and slashed Commonwealth contributions to teaching and learning,
(iii) according to Universities Australia, at least 17,300 jobs were lost in the university sector in 2020, and universities lost an estimated $1.8 billion in revenue compared to 2019, and
(iv) early enrolment data from tertiary admissions centres indicates tens of thousands of commencing students will be saddled with more than double the debt they would have accrued without the Morrison Government's fee hikes;
(b) calls on the Morrison Government to fully fund higher education, significantly boost research funding and make university fee-free for all; and
(c) calls on universities' senior management to reject further austerity and do everything in their power to preserve university jobs.
Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to make a short statement.
Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Labor wants every Australian to be able to get a great, affordable education no matter where they live or their background. The government's Job-ready Graduates Package will make it harder and more expensive for thousands of students to go to uni. When Labor was last in government we uncapped university places and introduced demand-driven funding so that every Australian who worked hard and got good grades could go to uni. Labor calls on the government to make university affordable for every student. However, we won't be supporting this motion because there are better, more targeted ways to make sure tertiary education is in reach for all Australians.
4:42 pm
Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to make a short statement.
Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Our Job-ready Graduates Package is creating up to 30,000 additional university places in 2021, up to 100,000 places by 2030 and bringing down the cost of degrees in key areas. The cost of agriculture and maths degrees is down 59 per cent and the cost of nursing and teaching degrees is down 42 per cent. Our intent was to encourage more students into courses where there was the best chance of getting a job. Pleasingly this is now happening, with applications for courses such as agriculture up 60 per cent and applications for courses in health up 15.5 per cent. Our universities are in a strong financial position, declaring a $2.3 billion surplus in 2019. Universities Australia's own figures show an operating loss of less than five per cent in 2020, with Monash University, for example, recently declaring a surplus of $259 million.
Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The question is that motion No. 1023 be agreed to.