Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister abandon his $5.8 billion in cuts to universities that will mean young Australians will pay $100,000 for a uni degree?

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

I guess, as a relatively new member, the member who asked the question is not aware of the canons against misleading the House, but plainly that is exactly what she has done.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There will be silence so we can hear the answer.

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

I just make these essential points in response. First—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. I know it is the second-last day before the end of a second week of sitting and the behaviour usually does deteriorate. We will have some silence while we listen to the answer.

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

The first point I make is that no-one will pay a dollar up-front. No-one need pay a dollar up-front. Everyone's fees will be covered by the FEE-HELP scheme that the former government put in place and which one way or another has been in place for a long time. Third, the taxpayer will still support every student's university education to the tune of about 50 per cent.

Given that university graduates are about 40 per cent of our population, and given that university graduates earn on average 75 per cent more over their lifetime than those who do not go to university, it seems fair and reasonable that university graduates should bear a slightly larger proportion of the costs of their benefit.

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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

The member for Bendigo has asked her question and will remain silent.

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

It seems fair and reasonable that this should be done. Let me conclude this answer by reminding the member who asked the question—who, I suppose, is a new member and might not be aware of the record of her own party—that they cut almost $7 billion out of higher education when they were in government.

What we are proposing to do is to liberate our universities to be the very best they can be. It is what we are proposing would be good for universities and good for the students of Australia.