Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank those members, particularly the member for Sturt, who spoke on the Education Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 2) Bill 2021. This bill amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003, or HESA, to ensure resident return visa holders who previously held a permanent humanitarian visa remain eligible for Higher Education Loan Program, or HELP, assistance. This measure corrects an oversight that was not considered during the drafting of the citizenship and residency requirements for HELP. In doing so, the measure supports positive outcomes for the student and the taxpayer by providing continuity in study assistance support for permanent humanitarian visa holders.

In addition, the bill improves the operation of the HESA by aligning provisions across all HELP programs for student protection measures, clarifying references to Indigenous languages, streamlining the operation of grant funding and clarifying grandfathering arrangements. These measures will ensure the efficient functioning of the HESA.

This bill also makes minor amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 to ensure the efficient functioning of the Tuition Protection Service and the ESOS Act more generally. These minor amendments safeguard the role of the TPS and bolster the sustainability of the Overseas Student Tuition Fund by clarifying existing provisions and provider obligations in relation to overseas students. The measures are complementary to those the government has already put in place to support the international education sector through the impacts of COVID-19 and to ensure students who invest in an Australian education will continue to receive the necessary protections beyond the existing strong domestic regulations.

I thank members for their contributions debating these measures that support continuity of access to HELP for permanent humanitarian visa holders and ensure the ESOS Act and TPS remain fit for purpose. I commend the bill to the House.

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