George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Before I deal directly with the question you have put, might I correct you and, indeed, correct myself. In the earlier question and answer, you asserted to me, and I adopted your assertion, that the minister had not commented on this proposal in the House of Representatives. It may be that it was not said in the second reading speech, but it has been drawn to my attention that in the consideration in detail stage in the House of Representatives, on page 152 of the House of Representatives Hansard on 13 June 2007, the minister said:

We have made it a requirement that the universities must continue to offer Commonwealth supported places and we will not allow universities to manipulate the provision of Commonwealth supported places to fill courses with full-fee-paying places. The way we will be able to do that is through the three-year funding agreements that are also a budget initiative from this year. Universities will be required to offer all Commonwealth supported places, and we will not allow them to manipulate those places so as to create full-fee-paying courses.

So, Senator Stott Despoja, this is not news today; both the substance and the mechanism were indicated by the minister in the other place on Wednesday evening. Senator Stott Despoja, you also asked—