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

What a great investment for the future of our nation! More choice equals better options. Competition will drive quality and encourage providers to be more responsive to students' wants and needs. Yes, some of the courses may go up, but many courses may drop their prices due to the institutions wanting to attract students to study with them.

I find it really disappointing that the Labor Party are trying to scare our kids out of attending university. Even my own nephew, who is attending university next year, has spoken to me about some of the scaremongering that has come from those on the other side. If anything is going to scare our kids away from tertiary studies, it is the ridiculous claim from the Labor Party that people cannot afford to go to university anymore. This is false, and it is highly irresponsible to be spreading these sorts of lies. The Labor Party just do not seem to get it. Students do not have to pay one cent for their university education up-front. I will repeat that: students do not have to pay one cent up-front for their university qualifications.

Yesterday we heard from the other Northern Territory member of the House of Representatives, who was telling the parliament that this legislation requires homeowners to get a second mortgage to pay for their education. For the member for Lingiari, I will repeat again: students do not have to pay one cent up-front for their university education. It is irresponsible and shameful of the members opposite to discourage their own constituents from starting university at a later stage in life as my mum did. The member for Lingiari has a high-paying job. Why shouldn't his constituents be afforded the same opportunity to upskill and increase their income?

That is what the coalition government is here to do—to give all Australians the opportunity to secure their own future and make a better life for themselves. As for the Labor senator, I am not sure that she will be able to tell you how these reforms will affect Charles Darwin University, because she does not actually seem to be in the Territory much; she seems to be travelling all around the country—all you have to do is have a look on her Twitter account to see that. She is unlike her predecessor, my constituent Trish Crossin, who actually did know what was going on. She was right there on the ground. And if she was here, she would have a bit to say about this, I am sure.

This government will maintain the HELP loan scheme so that not even regional students have to pay anything up-front for their higher education. In fact, they will not have to pay a cent back until they have a job and are earning a decent wage. People tell me they think this is a good deal, considering most graduates go on to earn 75 per cent more than the taxpayers who supported their education and did not go to university. This government is committed to enabling universities to continue to provide high-quality education and learning in the decades to come. I commend the bill to the House.

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