Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, thank you. I appreciate that answer, but clearly, because there is no proposal to get rid of section 54-1—and I hope Senator Milne is listening—there is a punitive sanction, potentially larger than the one of 7.5 per cent that currently exists, against universities for noncompliance. The minister said that it is within the minister’s discretion. Both are within the minister’s discretion because the minister would have to decide whether, in fact, the National Governance Protocols have been met and, under section 54-1, would have to decide whether there have been sufficient quality or governance failures to warrant, in effect, some fine or some taking away of the grant. So clearly—this is the point, Senator Milne—the government does not mind having a potential sanction against universities, because it is there under section 54-1. Clearly that is not the problem the government has. It is not about sanctions against universities, because they are in the act. So, if it is not sanctions the government has a problem with, it must be micromanagement of university affairs, because it clearly is not about sanctions.

I want to ask the minister: if it is not about sanctions—because the sanction is larger under section 54-1 than it is under the National Governance Protocols—then what particular national governance protocol inhibits the creativity of vice-chancellors in universities? What part of the National Governance Protocols means that there will be micromanagement? What part of the National Governance Protocols will inhibit university creativity—which one?