Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. I refer to his repeated claims that vice-chancellors support his unfair university changes. On Monday night the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra said that the government's unfair education changes are a fraud on the electorate. Why won't the minister listen to the experts and finally drop his plans for $100,000 degrees?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my right! The member for Chifley is warned!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is rather amusing for the shadow minister to say I should listen to the experts, because that is exactly what I have been doing. There are 41 universities in Australia—41! The ABC managed to find the one vice-chancellor who does not support these reforms—the one vice-chancellor.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will also add that the University of Canberra is a member of Universities Australia. So Stephen Parker is the vice-chancellor of an organisation that is a member of Universities Australia, and he has not demurred from University Australia's campaign to pass these reforms. Sure, he has some personal views. But, he has not let them get in the way of the fact that Universities Australia, which represents universities in this country, wants those reforms.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Kingston has asked her question; she should listen to the answer.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whether I quote the Australian Technology Network, the Innovative Research Universities, Regional Universities Network, Universities Australia, the Group of Eight or myriad business people, all of the higher education sector, miraculously—with the exception of Stephen Parker—are in favour of our reform.

But, let me quote someone who is familiar to the opposition. This fellow—a very smart fellow—says:

The bottom line is that if Australia is to develop universities which can truly compete internationally, that can provide an excellent educational experience for students and produce really outstanding graduates of the kind that are so vital to our nation’s future, we have to not only allow, but encourage, diversity by removing the constraints that prevent innovation.

Now, who do we think said that? Who do we think said that?—the Chancellor of the ANU, Gareth Evans. My memory is that he used to be the deputy leader of the Labor Party. He was a cabinet minister in the Hawke-Keating government. Gareth Evans, speaking on behalf of the sensible Hawke-Keating ministers of bygone eras—when Labor had some economic credibility; when they actually believed in something—and speaking on behalf of people who believe in things, knew that these reforms are inevitable. They are necessary, and they will happen.