Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to give my support, with conditions also, to the Education Services for Overseas Students Legislation Amendment Bill 2010. This bill aims to ensure that all providers of education services to overseas students are financially stable, have a solid business model and have the right management practices in place to ensure they deliver education that is of a suitable standard.

In Australia we have a fine record in educating students from overseas and, given that we are one of the world’s largest providers of overseas education and a market leader, it is imperative that we constantly seek to set high standards in education. The fallout from the global financial crisis, combined with the rise in the Australian dollar and, unfortunately, the sledgehammer approach to the issuing of visas, means that gaining an education in Australia has become more expensive and more difficult for students from overseas. This has put considerable pressure on the industry and has resulted in 11,544 fewer students in 2010 than in 2009. Therefore, it is important that we ensure the standard of the education we offer is high, giving an additional incentive so that we can limit the impact of the high dollar and continue to attract students from overseas. We also have to ensure that students have a seamless approach in applying to access our tertiary education, because such approaches are being offered in competing countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

I feel that if this bill works towards this aim it will provide greater certainty for overseas students that the product they are paying for is of a suitable standard. With the establishment of the Overseas Students Ombudsman, there will also be an avenue for complaint resolution of any issues that students may have with their provider. This is certainly a welcome move and may uncover any problems with providers before they reach crisis point. Recent collapses of educational providers and issues with overseas student integration have also damaged our standing as a desirable education destination, and we do need to act to ensure that this does not happen again.

While our capital cities accommodate the majority of overseas students, these students are increasingly important for our rural and regional educational facilities. The right balance of local and overseas students results in a viable and diverse educational facility. This is especially important in more remote areas with lower population densities, where international student numbers can support a provider whose facility may not be viable if accessed only by local students. This has great advantages for local rural and regional students because a local facility is available and helps to create greater cultural diversity in our regional areas. As we see in our university residences, students mix and live in a truly global environment which adequately prepares them for the challenges of today’s workforce. Most young students now aim to live and work overseas for a period of time, and the contacts made while studying with students from other countries are extremely valuable. Many students form lifelong friendships with people from another country, and many make vital future business contacts.

In Wannon, we have campuses of both the Deakin and RMIT universities and, as an example, the training for doctors is especially popular and considered superior to some city based options, due to the variety of experience students get when working in a regional area. This influx of students leads to a greater chance of them choosing to stay and gain employment in rural and regional areas, helping considerably to fill some gaps that exist for skilled professionals, especially in the area of health. This in turn benefits our local communities. Many of our doctor and other health professional shortages are filled by overseas trained immigrants in regional areas. Encouraging overseas students to train in rural and regional areas can encourage those people to consider applying for permanent residency in the area and further assist in providing essential services to local towns. Overseas students who have been trained in regional Australia are already up to date with our standards and are more likely to stay in regional areas to work if they have a connection with the area formed while studying. Students who do return to their country of birth take home with them a better understanding of Australia and the Australian culture, assisting Australia’s standing in any future business dealings that they may have throughout their career.

A good example of the importance of international students to educational facilities in Wannon is the Hamilton and Alexandra College. When most people think of overseas students, they assume that they are mostly in our universities, but there is a growing trend for secondary schools to be actively attracting overseas students as well. The Hamilton and Alexandra College, an independent school educational leader in south-western Victoria—which, I might add, some of my children attend—fosters a relationship with China and our other Asian neighbours which results in strong overseas student numbers at the college. As this is a relatively small school, the component of overseas students at the Hamilton and Alexandra College means that the college is still able to support a boarding facility. This, in turn, benefits Australian-resident country families who might otherwise have to send their children to a city boarding school. All students learn Chinese, and the year 9 group undertakes a ‘China Experience’ in which they attend school in China for approximately two months. The students at the college benefit from forming friendships with students from other countries at an influential age. It produces more worldly and tolerant young adults who are prepared for the demands of our modern, multicultural society.

I am glad to see that with this bill the government is acting to address the decline in overseas students that occurred last year and the negative publicity that occurred as a result of the collapse of some educational providers. However, I am severely disappointed that the government will not acknowledge and act on the growing disadvantage our Australian resident country students face in gaining a tertiary qualification when compared to their city counterparts. While I support the aims of this bill, I hope that continual improvements will be made. (Extension of time granted) High-quality, world-class educational opportunities are a reflection internationally of Australia. Our international students go forth into the global community and we need to ensure that they have wonderful, positive and beneficial experiences to tell the world about.

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