Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I think that question refers to concerns about quality in the private provider area and I think there are legitimate bases for concern about some of the companies involved. That is why, as the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, I implemented a lot of measures to try and assist in breaking the link between some of those companies—the way they were operating—and the provision of services to international students. This government has also driven a reform program in this area in relation to quality. The new regulator, ASQA, has been set up to try and address these very concerns—where state based regulation was not adequately covering the performance of the sector. We had serious concerns about that state based regulation. That concern was reflected, for instance, in the Victorian Auditor-General's report. The new national regulator established by this parliament will provide us with greater confidence that proper standards are being applied to training and that students are getting value for money from their investments in the courses they undertake. (Time expired)