Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I have indicated already that I cannot support this for the same reasons as I could not support the government’s proposal in the bill about pushing back the personal income threshold. I see that it is an issue of robbing Peter to pay Paul at a time when we need to invest in education and therefore invest in student support. I understand that there are budgetary issues, but that is the problem when you seek to save money when investing in education and to save money from students. It is really not appropriate. We need to see more money put into this pot. You cannot expect to enable 100,000 extra students to get something without putting more money in, because everybody gets less—even those people who need it the most. I just cannot support that. I understand why the coalition are doing it, but I do not think it is appropriate.

Question put:

That the amendment (Senator Mason’s) be agreed to.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—