Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank those members who have spoken on the Education Legislation Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Bill 2020. The bill implements part of the higher education relief package, the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For a period of six months, from 1 April to 30 September, the loan fee that applies to undergraduate students accessing a FEE-HELP loan for their studies will be removed. Undergraduate full-fee-paying students who may have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis will be given an incentive to either begin or continue to study in semester 2 of 2020, therefore supporting higher education providers to continue to support student enrolment. Through this measure, the government demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that Australians are able to upskill and retrain, even during these difficult times.

The bill also enables the implementation of the government's decision to extend the unique student identifier, the USI, to all higher education students. By replacing existing student identifiers with the USI, students and providers will have access to a single identification system. To support a single identification across the tertiary education system, the bill will require students who are accessing Commonwealth assistance to have a USI. With almost all students who are in tertiary education using the USI, we will be able to monitor and collect unprecedented data to better inform education programs and policies. In addition, through the USI, students will be able to move between VET and higher education more easily, encouraging ongoing engagement in education and lifelong learning, personal development and career aspiration.

The bill also introduces measures to validate loans for students who have been assigned multiple Commonwealth higher education student support numbers to prevent unfavourable financial outcomes for providers and students. Following the passage of the legislation, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment will make best efforts to contact the affected students as soon as is practicable. The correspondence will contain information on their situation and the effect of the legislation and will also include information on how to challenge debts that may be inappropriate or incorrectly allocated. Additional information on managing financial hardship and the income-contingent nature of the HELP scheme will be provided to ensure that students are aware of their obligations and any course for redress or relief where required. The Minister for Education has written to the opposition to confirm this. I thank the opposition for their constructive engagement on this bill.

The bill also clarifies the point in time that a student's HELP balance is taken to be reduced to ensure consistency across the HELP and VET student loan programs and makes minor amendments that streamline and improve the operation of the Higher Education Support Act. Once again, I thank all the members, in particular on behalf of the Minister for Education, for their contributions with respect to debating these measures and supporting the government's continued commitment to the higher education sector and its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I commend the bill to the House.

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