Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think she is a very impressive woman, particularly since her first studies were in her mid-40s. I am very, very proud of my mum and I think that she is a good role model for my family.

We want to get more students to study higher education, and we are doing that by making it more accessible for regional students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds who might have thought university study was way out of their reach. This legislation will create the biggest tertiary education scholarship reform that we have ever had in this country. We are levelling the playing field between city and country. University deregulation means more money for scholarships, and this means more opportunity for students from regional and remote areas to move closer to a university or tertiary education provider.

We only have one university based in the Northern Territory, and that is Charles Darwin University, which is where I studied a bachelor of business, majoring in information technology. It is a fantastic university and a unique educational institution. I was speaking with the new Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University, Simon Maddocks, about his role. He reminded me that Charles Darwin Uni is very different from other capital city universities and that it may need some extra attention in that regard. So I have been working with the vice-chancellor to ensure that the unique challenges facing Charles Darwin University are heard by Minister Pyne. Vice-Chancellor Maddocks expressed his concerns about how these changes might affect regional universities. I will continue to work through these concerns with Vice-Chancellor Maddocks and keep the lines of communication open between Charles Darwin University and Minister Pyne's office.

In fact, these higher education reforms offer many advantages and opportunities for regional universities and will in turn benefit the communities where they are located. Deregulation of universities is widely supported among the higher education industry around Australia. For regional universities, deregulation provides an opportunity for them to position themselves much more effectively and attractively. Charles Darwin University provides high-quality education, with high student satisfaction and excellent employment outcomes. Package that together with lower fees than interstate universities, and you have an attractive marketing plan to recruit students from all over Australia.

We do admit it is possible that fees will go up for some degrees. However, universities still want to attract students, and Australians are smart people; they will look out for the best value for money and this will keep universities competitive. If Charles Darwin University can offer courses at a lower cost than their city counterparts, they could see more students from major capital cities choosing regional areas to undertake their studies. This would be a great boon for the Territory's economy. Locals would welcome the economic benefits students bring to our region, and Darwin is a great drawcard for young people.

The government is committed to improving regional universities, and we will do everything we can to ensure that they are not left behind and that they are able to compete with metropolitan universities. In reducing per student funding under the Commonwealth Grant Scheme, we have made concessions for regional universities to ensure that this does not impact regional universities disproportionately. Many regional universities, including Charles Darwin University, have higher numbers of teaching and nursing students, and these courses will see lower than average reductions in funding, which is good news for regional universities that have large teaching and nursing cohorts.

Charles Darwin University is also a research intensive university. It boasts international excellence in environmental science and in Indigenous and tropical health. It is also leading the way in terms of engineering expertise to assist in the oil and gas developments that have been attracted to our area in our bid to develop the north.

These higher education reforms will allow Australian universities to build on their strong, competitive research systems. We had come to expect funding shortfalls from the previous Labor government, but this case is actually quite extreme. Research assistance had been left in the lurch. Not a single cent had been put aside for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy beyond 30 June next year. The Future Fellowships program had been left dry. As I said, not a cent was left to award to mid-career researchers to undertake world-class research in Australia after 30 June next year.

But there is good news: we actually take research seriously. This government is investing $11 billion over four years in research programs for Australian universities. There is $139 million for the Future Fellowships scheme and $150 million in 2012-16 to continue the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. This government is picking up the pieces after the failed Labor government, and we are the ones who will ensure that Australian researchers are not left behind.

I look forward to working with Charles Darwin University to ensure that it continues to be a top research university and to provide it with access to the coalition's new research funding model. Of more benefit to Charles Darwin University is this government's change to the Commonwealth supported places for students. We think that students studying for diplomas, advanced diplomas and associate degrees should be able to access Commonwealth support as well. So Charles Darwin University offers a large range of diplomas and advanced diplomas, from a diploma of business, to a diploma of conservation and land management, to an associate degree in engineering or an associate degree in legal studies. Charles Darwin University has a large range of courses that will suit any student's needs.

This government, as I said, is investing $371.5 million to support this initiative with diplomas and associate degrees which will give more options and therefore more flexibility to those who might be thinking of studying. Diplomas and associate degrees provide alternative pathways to those of the traditional bachelor degree after high school program. These courses can give students the opportunity to develop the skills required in a high level of tertiary education or may suit them when they do not necessarily want to do a bachelor degree. Expanding Commonwealth subsidies to these types of courses will help to ensure Australians have the best chance of success when they are studying. This is particularly important in regional and low-socioeconomic areas where students are less likely to attend university than students in large capital cities.

The coalition government is increasing competition between higher education providers. When these institutions are able to compete against one another to attract students then the students win.

We are extending Commonwealth support to private universities and to alternative higher education institutions so that they can also compete for students. We are investing $448.9 million to deliver on this goal. We expect that over 80,000 additional students will benefit from this investment. This means better outcomes for tertiary education institutions. An estimated 48,000 students in diploma and associate diploma courses and 35,000 students in bachelor courses—pretty good numbers, wouldn't you say, Parliamentary Secretary?

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