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. Does the minister think that forcing Senator Lazarus to change his mobile number will make him change his mind on $100,000 degrees, or will he start listening and take his unfair university changes back to the drawing board?

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

I am going to give the question to the Minister for Education, but I fail to see how he is responsible for Senator Lazarus's telephone.

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

I thank the member for Kingston for her question—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There will be quiet.

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

because its broadness gives me the opportunity to continue in the vein that I was answering her previous question in. I am not going to take the reform off the table, Member for Kingston, because, in case you have missed it, I have reintroduced a new reform bill this morning. It is possible that you might have missed the detail, being in the opposition, but can I just explain a lot of the support that we have for these reforms around Australia. The member for Kingston asked before why we were not listening to the sector and quoted one vice-chancellor. Universities Australia said:

The peak body representing Australia's universities calls on the Parliament to support the deregulation of Australian universities …

Regional Universities Network said:

… RUN considers that the only way that the sector can maintain quality and remain internationally competitive is through the deregulation of student fees.

The Innovative Research Universities said:

The IRU urges the Senate to pass the Bill with the necessary amendments by the end of 2014.

The Australian Technology Network of Universities said:

Deregulation is a threshold issue for the sector and its passage through the Senate is crucial to protect the international reputation for quality higher education, representing around $15 Billion in export earnings for Australia.

And, finally, the Group of Eight said:

These historic reforms reconcile access and quality, and make growth affordable.

You see, everyone in the sector knows that this reform is necessary to protect Australian universities and to protect the quality of education for students. There are some in the Labor Party who know that, including the shadow Assistant Treasurer, and there are former Labor leaders, like Gareth Evans, who recognise that. But Labor is not interested in good quality education at our universities. Labor is not interested in research outcomes at our universities. Labor does not mind if our universities stagnate, as long as they can play the politics of an issue, day in, day out. Good luck to them. The only problem for Labor is that the Australian people can see through a political party that always plays base politics and never thinks about policy, and never thinks about what is good for Australia.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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

The member for Perth!

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

We know on this side of the House that what is good for Australia—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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

The member for Perth will desist!

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

is great universities, world-class education and as many students as possible in Australia having the advantage of that education.