Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

That is a very good question from the member for Moore, who cares, like everyone on this side of the House, about spreading opportunity in higher education to all Australians, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. About 18 per cent of students each year entering university are assessed as being from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of those are from rural and regional Australia and many of them are first-generation university goers. We obviously want to encourage them into university and into pathways programs because of the transformative nature that education brings to the lives of everyone involved with it.

The government's higher education reform bill comes with a very large dose of social equity. The member for Moore supports that and so does this side of the House. Through two specific mechanisms we will be able to increase the number of disadvantaged students getting free education in Australia. Universities will put one in $5 of their extra revenue into the Commonwealth Scholarship scheme. That will be directed towards disadvantaged students, which means thousands and thousands of students will be able to go to university for free under the Commonwealth Scholarship scheme.

Secondly, the Higher Education Participation Program, which currently exists, will be rephased as part of this second reform bill so that universities that have a high number of rural and regional students, first-generation university goers or students who come from areas where there is a high level of disadvantage will specifically be able to access scholarships under the Higher Education Participation Program. So in a very honest way and a very transparent way we will be able to, through scholarships, genuinely deliver free education for disadvantaged Australians who deserve a fair go and a chance to go to university.

Under the Labor Party's model of free education that they once introduced and then abandoned, effectively there was a redistribution of income from the poorest Australians to the wealthiest Australians, as poor Australians funded the education of those in Australia who could have paid for themselves. It was a socially regressive policy. Under our policy the scholarships mean that we will be able to transparently support disadvantaged students

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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