Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to support university students across the country?

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I told the House yesterday, we're also doubling the number of university study hubs across the country, bringing universities closer to where people live. That includes 14 of these hubs for the first time in the outer suburbs of our big cities, where the percentage of people with a university degree is low, and 20 more in the regions and in the bush. Yesterday, I announced that applications are open for a further 10 regional university study hubs. Again, it's not the only thing we're doing.

Universities aren't just places where people study or where they work; they're also places where people live. We need to ensure that they are safe. One in 20 students have been sexually assaulted since they started university, and one in six have been sexually harassed. One in two have felt like they weren't heard when they made a complaint. This is what one student told the STOP Campaign: 'I'm sick of my friends being assaulted, I'm sick of begging to feel safe and I'm sick of feeling ignored.' The awful truth is that not enough has been done to address sexual violence in our universities, and for too long, students haven't been heard. That is now changing.

I announced earlier this year that we would establish a national student ombudsman that would be independent and have the power to investigate complaints and resolve disputes with universities. Next month, when parliament returns, I will introduce legislation to make that a reality.