Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

All I can say is that it is unlikely that her interest in education is to be replaced by anybody on that side of the chamber when the new Senate is sworn in. The question that the senator asks goes to the phasing out of full-fee-paying domestic undergraduate places at public universities from 1 July 2009. There will be funding of $249 million over 2008-09 through to 2011-12 for up to 11,000 new Commonwealth-supported places to replace fee-paying places, including HECS-HELP affected places. That $249 million includes $242 million in Commonwealth Grant Scheme payments, and universities will also receive around $226 million in student contributions.

The government is providing funding for up to 11,000 new Commonwealth supported places to replace the full-fee-paying places that are currently operating throughout the university system. This should be enough to replace the fee-paying places, and should ensure that students enter university on the basis of merit, and not the ability to pay. This is a policy position the government is strongly committed to. It was an election commitment and it is now being implemented in our first budget. No-one will lose their place. Students who are currently enrolled in a fee-paying place will be able to continue as fee-paying students.

Some universities will receive more revenue from the Commonwealth funding of student contributions than they receive now from fees alone. Some universities that charge very high fees may receive less revenue from the Commonwealth supported places, but assistance for 2009 that may be needed to make the transition to Commonwealth supported places will be discussed with affected universities in the coming months. The government does not intend to simply cover the loss of fees through extra funding to a few universities. This would be unfair to the many universities that either have chosen not to offer fee-paying places or have earned little revenue from them.