Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The current cost of science degrees is capped at around $34,000. Recent analysis shows that the cost of the science degree will rise up to $100,000 as a result of this budget of broken promises. Will the Prime Minister guarantee that future scientists in Australia will not have to pay up to $100,000 in debt?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not accept that the Education Union analysis is gospel.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question and will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Trust the Leader of the Opposition, the former union official, to treat the national tertiary education union 'analysis' as gospel!

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one else does. I am not going to give the guarantee that the Leader of the Opposition seeks, but I can give a guarantee that no sensible institution would price itself out of the market. It is as simple as that. If this particular former union official had as much gumption as another former union official who once led the Labor Party, he would not ask silly questions like that. But the one thing you do know about this former union official is that he is no Bob Hawke.