Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Can I indicate that I am disappointed that the government is not supporting the amendment that I and my colleague Senator Hanson-Young moved. It is an amendment that seeks to give greater assurance and greater protection to Australia’s third-biggest export industry, and I am disappointed it has been rejected by the government. Let us put this in context: we have seen a drop of between 40 and 50 per cent in applications coming from South Asian countries, particularly India, according to the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, and there are forecasts of an overall 10 per cent drop in international students coming to Australia. You have to ask the question: to what extent is that due to what has occurred with the collapse of colleges? I commend the government for going down the path of strengthening regulation—all those things are laudable. But this amendment was about strengthening this legislation, not taking away from it, and I think we need to put into context what was said by the government, here and in the other place, as to the reasons why it should not be supported.

Overall, the overseas education sector is a $16 billion-a-year industry. Sadly, more and more reports are emerging about substandard education services, hence this bill. That is where there is common ground. There are questionable practices by providers and migration agents, and last year we saw a number of private colleges close down, including, more recently—earlier this year—a college whose closure affected hundreds of students—