Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I have enormous respect for the member for Grey and I cannot work out quite whether he really believes what he is telling the House or whether he is just picking up the government's spin on this subject. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt and come to the conclusion that he really believes the things he just said. I only recommend to him that he has a closer at the subject and to give it more thought because I really do believe what he just said about the impact of these reforms on the university sector is just wrong—in particular, his failure to grasp the impact on regional universities, including the campuses he was just referring to.

Indeed, on few occasions have I watched a debate in this place so closely—this debate on the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014—and I have watched with some bewilderment as rural and regional members from the other side have got to their feet in defence of what I think is an indefensible policy. The member for Riverina was amongst them not that long ago.

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