Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

in reply—I thank every member who has contributed to this debate. I thank the shadow minister for education for his contribution. Clearly, he is a forgiving man, and I think that is a delightful personality trait! I would hope that I will not have to rely on his forgiving nature too much in the future. But, should I ever need to rely on that, clearly he is someone who, by dint of personality, will be forgiving should that time come.

In relation to the Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Assistance) Bill 2008, as I indicated at the start of this debate, it completes the arrangements consistent with the original policy intent of the VET FEE-HELP legislation introduced last year. These amendments were necessary to allow the legislative guidelines that sit under the VET FEE-HELP legislation to be drafted in line with the intent of extending the higher education FEE-HELP arrangements to the VET sector. If one were being unkind, one would say that the failure that this amendment bill seeks to rectify was caused by the previous government’s ineptitude; if one were being a more generous soul, one would say it was in the nature of things. But, whatever analysis one brings to it, clearly there were flaws in the original legislation and we need to make sure that they are rectified, and this has been given a very high priority by the Rudd government. It is essential to bring this legislation forward to assist students studying in high-level VET programs this year.

VET FEE-HELP assistance will be restricted to full-fee-paying students while requiring credit transfer arrangements for diploma and advanced diploma courses that can be assessed on a course-by-course basis. This will provide the greatest degree of flexibility to the sector while ensuring that VET students get appropriate recognition for subsequent studies in higher education and receive credit for what they have already done.

Aligning student financing arrangements between vocational education and higher education in this way will reduce the administrative burden on dual-sector providers—and I know that you, Madam Deputy Speaker Burke, are familiar with the operation of those in Victoria, as am I in my local electorate—and will help improve the movement of students between the sectors. It will underpin the move to higher skill levels in Australia’s tertiary education system, a key contribution to improving productivity.

Once again I thank all members who have participated in this debate. I thank the opposition for their support for this legislation and their quick processing of it. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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