Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In 2008, the former Minister for Youth Kate Ellis released a report into the impact of voluntary student unionism on services, amenities and representation for Australian university students. This report suggested that the defunding of student-led organisations in the early 2000s had a negative impact on the provisions of services and amenities for Australian university students as well as their ability to participate in university governance and decision-making. By returning funding to student-led organisations and providing them with secure funding, we will enable greater services, representation and advocacy for students. It will also ensure more consistent service provisions across the country, making sure that all students, regardless of where they study, have access to the support they need.

These reforms build on the government's first set of changes under the Higher Education Support Amendment (Response to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report) Act 2023. The interim report act removed the strict 50 per cent pass rule, which disproportionately forced lower-SES and regional students to drop out. Instead of penalising students who may be struggling to adapt to their new adult life, we are requiring universities to provide the support necessary for their success.

This bill also expanded the demand-driven system to include all Indigenous students. This is a crucial step in closing the gap and addressing the generational inequality that many of our Indigenous Australian face. With this change, the government aims to double the number of Indigenous Australians with a university degree within a decade.

The interim act also doubled the number of university study hubs from 34 to 68, including 20 in regional Australia and 14 in the outer suburbs. These hubs were designed so that students in the outer suburbs, such as Cranbourne, Hampton Park and Clyde, have access to university services close to their homes. This is about bringing education closer to the people, ensuring that distance is no longer a barrier to higher education.

The passage of the Universities Accord (Student Support and Other Measures) Bill 2024 is a step forward in our nation's history. It is a demonstration of our commitment to education as a cornerstone of our future. By reducing student debt, by supporting our essential workers to complete their placements, expanding access to university prep courses and by ensuring strong student representation, we are laying the foundation for a more equitable higher education system.

Our education system should be a beacon of opportunity, accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstances. This bill takes us one step closer to that vision. It is a step towards a fairer and more equitable higher education system. It is a step towards a future where every Australian will have the chance to reach their full potential and contribute to the success of our great nation.

Thank you to the Minister for Education Jason Clare for your hard work on this bill. Thank you for standing up for working-class students and those from the outer suburbs like Holt. It is truly commendable to see a minister who places communities like Holt at the heart of our nation's future rather than as an afterthought. I commend this bill to the House and urge all my colleagues to support it wholeheartedly.

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