Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor does not support this bill and nor do I. I believe that a university education should not be denied to anybody. My parents would dearly have loved to go to university, but they came from families where it was financially not possible. My parents went without so that my siblings and I could have a good, quality education, and that included a university education. I am privileged and honoured to be here representing my electorate in this parliament, and that is as a result of my hard work and the university education that I had. I have two brothers, one who is principal of a boys college and one who is executive principal of a large secondary college, and I have a sister who is a family law barrister, all because our parents worked hard to ensure that we had the opportunity they were denied—that is, a university education.

This then begs the question: what is wrong with the entitled members sitting opposite me on the government benches, given that a large number of these Turnbull government members have happily risen to the top of their careers and entered this parliament on the back of Labor policy? Many government ministers and backbenchers have benefited from Labor's free higher education, yet when they come to power in government they simply slam the door shut in the faces of others.

There are a number of Turnbull government ministers who attended university between 1974 and 1988, when students did not pay fees. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other frontbench figures, such as our former Attorney-General, George Brandis, and the Minister for Defence, Marise Payne, are among those who attended university when education was free. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott received a free university education. Foreign Minister Bishop, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, Treasurer Scott Morrison, and the Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, attended university for one year when education was free. The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, the former Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, and the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash, also attended university for at least one year when their education was free. In total, seven Turnbull government ministers were at university when students were not charged fees, while the other eight would have had at least one year of free university education. It is an absolute disgrace and a blatant demonstration of double standards that these Turnbull government elected representatives have benefited from a Labor policy—that is, a free university education—but they in turn feel justified in making it harder for anyone else wanting to attend university.

Labor has always been a party of high aspirations for all of our citizens. Labor has always said that it should never be your financial status that decides whether or not you can attend university. Whether you are a young kid from Kelso or from inner Sydney, Labor does not discriminate based on your postcode. No matter who you are, Labor believes that you have the human right to access education in order to better yourself and increase your contribution to society.

Labor is very aware of the strong links between education, quality employment and prospering economies. The skills of the future will be taught in our universities, and particularly in regional universities. Yet this government is hell-bent on punishing students from disadvantaged backgrounds by denying them the opportunity to attend university and to build a competitive Australia, because they most likely will not be able to afford to attend university. That is why Labor opposes this bill, and that is why I once again say I am proud to stand with Labor and fight these unfair cuts. The Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (Student Loan Sustainability) Bill 2018 is an unfair piece of legislation that attacks students and undermines the fairness of our world-class student loan system. The MYEFO package of $2.2 billion cuts is the government's fourth attempt since coming to office to cut university funding and make students pay more.

In all of Australia there is only one degree that is internationally ranked, and I am proud to say that it is at James Cook University, in my electorate of Herbert. ANU, University of Queensland, Monash—none of them can lay claim to having an internationally ranked No. 1 degree, but James Cook University in Townsville, North Queensland, can. Yet this university will be severely punished by this unfair cut. James Cook University holds the prestigious honour of being awarded the No. 1 status for a marine science degree, yet this government is cutting $36 million to James Cook University. James Cook University is a genuine regional university that was built by the blood, sweat and tears of local business people because our community dared to dream that our young people, whose families could not afford to send them south to study, could study at home.

Then there is my university, Central Queensland University, where the Turnbull government is cutting $38 million. These are universities that are embedded in regional Queensland communities. These are universities that strive for excellence to deliver across vast distances and provide quality education for all regional, rural and remote Queenslanders. Clearly the Turnbull government is totally unaware and out of touch with regional Australia and, in particular, Queensland. This government does not understand that the participation rate in universities in regional communities is almost half of what it is in metropolitan universities. Linking funding to population growth is absolutely unfair and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the regional challenges.

In the last couple of weeks, I attended graduation ceremonies of both JCU and CQU, with both delivering outstanding results. It was really exciting at both ceremonies to witness young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students receiving their degree awards. It was great to see international students coming to our great city to study at these quality universities. This is particularly the case at JCU in the marine science area.

It is unfair and it's a complete rip-off to students. At last year's budget, the Turnbull government tried to make students start repaying their HELP debt when they started earning as little as $42,000. Now the government is proposing a new rate of $45,000. It's still far too low. Why is this government changing the threshold when new graduates are really struggling? New graduates need time to get their feet on the ground, to establish themselves in their chosen career and not be forced into a state of anxiety as to whether they can afford to immediately start to pay their HELP debt, pay rent and survive. It is not fair that new graduates will have to choose between paying their HELP debt or saving to buy a house. It is also not fair to make graduates choose between starting a family or paying their HELP debt. There are a large number of graduates who are barely surviving whilst trying to make ends meet on a wage of $45,000 a year. In my community, rental prices are high, cost of living is expensive and energy prices are through the roof under this government, so students and graduates are already doing it tough. This government's decision to lower the income threshold to $45,000 for graduates to start to pay their HECS debt is just another burden for them to carry. It is unfair and it does not reflect a fair go for all. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

In my last meeting with James Cook University Vice Chancellor Sandra Harding, we discussed how we want more people enrolled in higher education across North Queensland because higher education leads to greater employment choices and opportunities. Across North Queensland, we have some of the highest rates of unemployment in the country, and that is particularly the case for youth unemployment. A university education is the beacon of hope for employment. A university education is the vehicle that will deliver the industries and jobs of the future. University education builds a community's capacity to grow its economy. But the Turnbull government is hell-bent on strangling North Queenslanders' hopes for future employment based on a quality university education. These added burdens on students and graduates will not entice people to enrol at university. Placing additional barriers and making it harder for students to pay back their debts will simply deter students from enrolling at university, and that is the very last thing we need in regional Queensland. In regional Queensland we need to create an environment that increases participation and does not make it harder.

Experts have warned Australia that if we do not boost participation in post-secondary education we risk being left behind by the rest of the world. But this back-to-the-future government probably wants that. This is 1920s style thinking from the government. If you want a country to get back on track, then you must invest in its people. In a time of significant economic transition, we should be investing in our people, not making it harder for them to get a university qualification.

Labor has always been a party for the people. Labor is the party for the many and not just the few people who have healthy credit cards and a strong social status. Labor does put people first. But it's pretty clear that the Turnbull government have only ever had one plan for higher education, and that plan is to cut funding and make students pay more. Of course, that always affects those disadvantaged in our community. It is critically important in regional Queensland, and particularly in my electorate of Herbert, that our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people have the opportunity, once they finish high school, to access a university education. Financial status is not an indicator of capability, but it is an indicator of ability to participate. Australian students already make the sixth-highest contribution to their university fees in the OECD. But the Liberals can't help themselves. They have consistently tried to make students pay more. Why? That is the question. It would appear, at the moment, it's all about paying for their $65 billion tax cut for wealthy corporations. We've seen it in schools, with a $17 billion cut. We've seen it in the vocational education and training sector, with nearly $3 billion cut and more than 140,000 apprenticeships and traineeships lost since the Liberals came to office. In my electorate alone, that is 1,591 apprenticeships. Again, we see it in universities with a $2.2 billion cut.

Labor delivers real reform to higher education in this country. When Labor was last in government, it lifted investment in universities from $8 billion in 2007 to $14 billion in 2013. Labor opened the door of universities to 190,000 more Australians, many of whom were the first in their family to go to university. Coming from that situation myself, I completely understand what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to attend university when you know how desperately your parents would have loved to have had that opportunity. The Liberals, through their latest round of cuts, are slamming that door firmly shut for many people in our community. The Turnbull government will never be a government for the people. They are a government for the top end of town.

Investment in people starts with education. However, this government have completely missed this fact, as they are completely out of touch with people. I don't think we can emphasise enough how absolutely important it is that we invest in the people of this country, that we invest in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, and that we also invest in the people who are leaving the defence forces, people who need to reskill or get skills to transition into new employment. University is the ticket out of poverty and disadvantage. I urge this government not to make these severe cuts to university funding.

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