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

through the largest scholarship scheme the country has ever seen, by expanding the demand of the system to sub-bachelor courses such as diplomas and associate degrees and by giving non-university higher education providers the opportunity to access the Commonwealth Grant Scheme for the first time ever, so giving at least 80,000 more students an opportunity to go to university.

This is not just supported by 40 of 41 vice-chancellors around Australia; it is also supported by a large number of Labor figures from when the Labor Party used to stand for something in policy terms. People like John Dawkins, Gareth Evans, Maxine McKew and academics like Peter Noonan, David Phillips and Bruce Chapman, the father of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme, are urging the Labor Party to get involved in the national conversation and be part of a reform agenda to deliver benefits to students and universities.

The alternative to the government's policy has been revealed by the shadow minister, Senator Kim Carr, in recent speeches but also last year in October. The alternative to the government's program is to bring back 'Moscow on the Molonglo', which used to exist in this country when ministers and bureaucrats decided on how many students there were in courses and how many students there were in universities. 'Moscow on the Molonglo' was always what Kim Carr wanted. He never supported Julia Gillard's far-reaching reforms to bring in a demand driven system. Last year, on 9 October, Senator Carr said:

The demand driven system is for a finite period. It was not indefinite; it was for a finite period until the targets were met. The targets have largely been met …

Universities need to know that the cat is out of the bag on Labor's proposal for higher education. It would mean bringing back the caps, which would force low-SES students out of university. Ironically, this side of the House wants more first-generation university goers and low-SES students to go to uni. Senator Carr wants to shut off the faucet and have fewer students going to university.

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