Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. Will the minister please update the House on the government's plans to support Australians' access to higher education, particularly in regional, rural and remote Australia?

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for O'Connor for his question. I know he is a passionate advocate for regional and rural Australia. He stands with all of us on this side in our passion to ensure that regional and rural Australia get the services they need, including the educational services.

This year $17.7 billion will be provided by this government to the higher education sector for teaching and research. We want to ensure that all Australians, no matter where they live, get the education that they deserve. That includes the 400,000 students living in regional and rural Australia. It is why last year we announced $135 million in a regional Australia higher education package. That included nearly 2,000 additional scholarships for regional and rural Australia. It also included $92.5 million for regional universities. I know the member for Herbert will like this, because $9.1 million went to James Cook University. It also included money for 16 regional study hubs. I visited one of those regional study hubs in Barker; there is one being provided in the Barossa. I know the member for Barker is a fierce advocate for regional study hubs. And not only that but this year we announced an additional $94 million for the Destination Australia program.

Ms Butler interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith!

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That means that international students and local students will get scholarships to study at regional universities. That will improve regional universities even more and make sure that they get the students they need. On top of that, we've provided $2 million to make sure that young people in rural areas aspire to get a higher education degree.

Ms Butler interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith has already been warned. She seems determined to be thrown out. This is your final warning!

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On this side, we are backing rural and regional Australia. I say to those opposite that when I was a young boy, growing up on a family farm, we went through the 1982 drought. You might think that this is funny—

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but in 1982 we were impacted by the drought. The memories of that drought, and the impact that it had, have stayed with me today. I say to you, put the politics aside. That $5 billion that will drought proof Australia—that is what it is designed to do—needs to be passed by this parliament, so that everyone in this place supports rural and regional Australia, so get behind it!

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper, as we turn to the member for Ryan's first speech.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before we get to that, we have a little bit of paperwork to do.