Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for O'Connor for his question. I know he is a passionate advocate for regional and rural Australia. He stands with all of us on this side in our passion to ensure that regional and rural Australia get the services they need, including the educational services.

This year $17.7 billion will be provided by this government to the higher education sector for teaching and research. We want to ensure that all Australians, no matter where they live, get the education that they deserve. That includes the 400,000 students living in regional and rural Australia. It is why last year we announced $135 million in a regional Australia higher education package. That included nearly 2,000 additional scholarships for regional and rural Australia. It also included $92.5 million for regional universities. I know the member for Herbert will like this, because $9.1 million went to James Cook University. It also included money for 16 regional study hubs. I visited one of those regional study hubs in Barker; there is one being provided in the Barossa. I know the member for Barker is a fierce advocate for regional study hubs. And not only that but this year we announced an additional $94 million for the Destination Australia program.

Ms Butler interjecting—

See this speech in context