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

Before I go on detailing all the extra investment we're putting into our education system, I'd like to address the member for Bowman's question and the show of bipartisanship on the other side, which is greatly appreciated, around the unique student identifier. As part of the national reform initiatives, there are three initiatives that the Commonwealth is taking the lead on. One is the unique student identifier. This is, I think, one of the most important initiatives of the whole national reform process. By taking the lead, we're making sure we're driving outcomes, when it comes to states and territories, pushing for the introduction of the USI. This will be on the agenda when I meet with state and territory education ministers on Friday, and when we meet again in Alice Springs at the end of the year we hope to have a lot of detail to put out there as to how the USI will work.

Interestingly enough—I know the member for Bowman will be interested in this and I think other members will be as well—as part of the 2019-20 budget the Australian government is investing $15.8 million, over four years, to extend the unique student identifier from vocational education and training to higher education. From 2021 new domestic and onshore international higher education students will receive a USI, and by 2023 all higher education students, including those who commence prior to 2021, will have been issued with a USI.

What we will be able to do, from school through to vocational or higher education, is track the performance of students right through the system. I think this is an incredibly important initiative and it's one that the Commonwealth is also driving when it comes to the national reform initiatives. We want to make sure that progression happens to every student across primary and secondary schools, so for every year of learning they get 12 months of progression. This is something that the Commonwealth is going to drive, as well as the last thing that we've taken the key responsibility on, and that's the evidence institute.

So far we have put $12.4 million to these initiatives. But, once we've got detailed frameworks worked out, once we've agreed how all this work will be done in conjunction with state and territory government ministers, then we will look at how we will continue to expand on that investment, because this is incredibly important work. I think all of us on this side realise that the record investment that we are putting into education now has to translate into record results and outcomes. There has to be a focus on that and we're seeing that right across the board.

I will continue because there are so many lengthy initiatives of additional funding that we're putting into education. I want to try and get through a few more of these so every member understands what we are doing. We're also providing $2 million over three years, from 2019-20, to expand the Country Education Partnership's successful Rural Inspire program, which aims to raise the aspirations of students in rural and remote schools, develop their motivation and increase their ability to choose and achieve positive career, life and learning goals. I know the member to my left will absolutely support me in this—making sure that there is the aspiration, especially when it comes to regional and rural students, low-socioeconomic students and Indigenous students, which is absolutely key. That's why we put $2 million into this important initiative—

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