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

Senator Joyce, you may not be interested in regional education but this government is. That is why the numbers are up so much and that is why they are thriving. The National Party may not think education is important but 19 of Australia's 37 public universities are now in the top 500. It is a testament to the leadership, the staff and the students of those universities but it is also a reflection of a government that has invested in those universities—invested in their quality and invested in their research. We know that under the Howard government they stripped funds out of the universities. It is their favourite place to go when they are looking to fill their funding shortfalls, and we know they will go there again if they get the chance. We have had record investment in universities and it is paying off. We know that we have increased funding to universities for research, including infrastructure, by 60 per cent.

Senator Joyce interjecting—

We also know, Senator Joyce, that there are more country kids going to university, and more of them on youth allowance.

Senator Joyce interjecting—