John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

We have got female interjections in stereo, Mr Acting Deputy President, but I will continue. The point I make is this: I can see where the government were coming from in changing these regulations, but in the crossfire they have taken those in regional areas who wish to get a tertiary education right out.

As I said, where do they find the jobs, especially in the smaller country towns—somewhere like Trundle, Gilgandra or Condobolin—when they want to go off to carry out tertiary study and better themselves for the rest of their lives? They are left out of the equation. In fact, Philip Ruddock made the point when we met a week or so ago that he has a constituent in Sydney who wishes to attend the medical school at the University of New England in Armidale—which we were very proud to see kick off two years ago—who faces the same problem, because he will have to move out into the country, find accommodation and face those extra costs. That is where this is so wrong. I am sure Minister Gillard has been bombarded with emails, letters and phone calls. It is certainly the biggest issue that has come to my office in my brief time in the Senate. In almost 12 months, I have never seen an issue that people are so disgruntled and concerned about—that is, the tertiary education of their youngsters and giving them a fair go.

I can say with confidence that, when this legislation comes to the Senate, the Senate will do its job. We know that we have many here in the Senate to support us. We will get this legislation off to a committee. We will see that those people who are on a gap year now, who have had the goalposts changed halfway through the game as the government have done, are able to get to university next February, when they should get there, instead of six or eight months later. The Senate will do its job. Amendments will be put through the Senate to protect the education of our country students who wish to commence a tertiary education. The legislation will then go to the House and, if the government do not accept the amendments, they will live with the consequences. If they bring on an election and the parents, the teachers and the students are as angry as I have seen them in meetings that I have attended, the government will face the consequences. Come election time, there will not be a regional seat in Australia held by the Labor Party if they are going to pull the rug out from under our students and prevent them from undertaking a tertiary education and providing those vital services that we require in rural and regional areas—and I point to the situation with doctors and, especially, nurses. With our ageing population, there is a huge demand for nurses not only in our hospitals but also in our aged-care facilities. We need that service, and we will certainly do our utmost to see that these changes are brought about and that a fair system of youth allowance is in place so that all people in rural and regional areas can get a fair go, can get their tertiary education and are not held back—as the government have certainly done with these changes in the budget.