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

I rise to reluctantly support the Higher Education Support Amendment (Student Contribution Amounts and Other Measures) Bill 2012. I say 'reluctantly' because clearly there is a problem concerning the number of maths and science students. There is a problem but the solution that was advanced by the government several years ago, of rebates and HECS fees, has not worked. So the solution has not worked and we need to find an alternative solution, but it does not appear that there is a plan B with this bill. I make it clear at the outset, out of an abundance of caution, that my own son has been a beneficiary of the government's policy, which came into effect in January 2009, of a reduced unit of contributions for maths and science subjects.

It is a rare moment in politics when all sides of the political fence agree and we all agree that Australia needs more mathematics and science graduates. The government's policy, which this bill seeks to reverse, sought to address that shortage. Unfortunately, the policy proved ineffective and the government itself admits the program is not delivering value for money. My son, for example, had already planned on studying maths and science subjects as part of his double degree before the measure was introduced. The bottom line is that the policy has not seen a significant increase in enrolments in the maths and sciences.

For Australia to be able to compete in the global market, we need more mathematicians and scientists. Our skill sets in these areas are under threat if we do not find a way to attract more students to these disciplines. It is a complex issue which I believe needs a multifaceted approach, including better education at primary and secondary levels, incentives for tertiary students for tertiary studies and investment in research and development to ensure we not only have jobs for graduates in these fields but also put ourselves at the forefront of maths and science on the global stage.

A 2010 Group of Eight universities review—the Review of education in mathematics, data science and quantitative disciplinesfound maths and quantitative sciences in Australia were at a 'dangerous level'. In May this year, Australian Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb told the National Press Club:

The future prosperity of Australia is dependent on having a strong supply of graduates in the right areas coming through the education system.

In launching the Health of Australian science report, he said:

There are some areas of expertise that are crucial to our national interest which are lacking what they need to prosper.

The report identified mathematics and chemistry as in this group, along with agricultural sciences and physics. I note that Senator Nash in her contribution did make mention of agricultural sciences.

As well as addressing funding systems, the report said the relationships between science and industry must be strengthened. How do we achieve this? I believe we need to start at the beginning—to crawl before we can walk—and that means getting young students—primary and secondary school students—excited about maths and science. We not only need to get them excited about maths and science; we also need to give them the skills they need to go on and be confident studying maths and science at a tertiary level. This means changing the way we approach education in relation to maths and science. Even if cash bonuses were involved, which I will get to later, we are unlikely to attract more maths and science university students unless we teach them the beauty of maths and science in their formative years. Committing to a three- or four-year university course can be a daunting prospect for a young person fresh out of secondary school and it is human nature that one would only invest such time and effort in a subject that interested them. If we do not invest now in preparing our young people for careers in maths and science, Australia will be the one to suffer.

We must look to our Asian neighbours in how to go about this. We know that Asian countries continue to forge ahead of us in maths and science, so how do they do it? According to a report released by the Grattan Institute in February this year, it is not about spending more money, nor about class size or whether the school is public or private. What it comes down to, the report said, is better teaching skills that improve how students learn. When the report was released, Grattan Institute program director of school education Ben Jensen said that the results of teacher bonuses and school funding touted by the Gonski review were negligible compared to a focus on improving teaching demonstrated in Asia. According to the Asian way of educating, there should be more focus on teaching skills during university training rather than subjects like philosophy—but I am not knocking philosophy; I think it is a question of emphasis. Mentoring of teachers is also critical and teacher training should continue after university study ends. We have to wonder if this focus on teaching is at all linked to the high rates of maths and science graduates in Asia compared to Australia. In Australia in 2010, just 18 per cent of graduates came from the sciences, technologies, engineering and mathematics areas. Compare this with 64 per cent for Japan, 52 per cent in China and 41 per cent in South Korea.

Just a moment ago I mentioned the Gonski review. I reiterate that I believe the review is an important piece of work that is a critical piece of the puzzle to improve education in Australia. In its executive summary, the review says:

In 2000, only one country outperformed Australia in reading and scientific literacy and only two outperformed Australia in mathematical literacy. By 2009, six countries outperformed Australia in reading and scientific literacy and 12 outperformed Australia in mathematical literacy.

The picture is very clear. In international terms we are going downhill, particularly when it comes to maths. Especially significant in the Gonski review findings is the gap between low- and high-performance students and the link to socioeconomic status. It is imperative that all our young people get a fair go at education and access to teaching that gives them the opportunity to develop. This applies to all areas of education, including maths and science. I urge the government not to delay its special response to the review.

While preparing our young people for possible university study is critical, we must continue to think laterally about we can attract them to professions in mathematics and the sciences. Professor Ian Chubb this year suggested $10,000 cash incentives to maths and science graduates who commit to a few years of teaching at the end of their course. That could be the answer. I would be interested to hear whether the government has a view on what Professor Ian Chubb has said about cash incentives. There is nothing quite like cold hard cash to motivate people. The trick is motivating the right people. We want people who will contribute to the maths and sciences areas in Australia for years to come—people who will share their expertise to benefit Australia in an increasingly competitive global market.

The University of Canberra just last month revealed it was considering an Australian first: a multidisciplinary faculty which would bring education, applied science, mathematics and statistics under the one roof. According to the Canberra Times, the faculty would aim to produce more maths and science skilled teachers and graduates who have the communication skills to share their enthusiasm about maths and science with others.

Dr Louise Ryan is a professor of mathematical sciences at the University of Technology Sydney and was previously chief of the CSIRO's division of mathematics, information and statistics. I am very grateful for the information and advice she has given to my office on this issue. According to Professor Ryan, we need to look at modern ways of training students. She said maths and science courses should teach students the art and importance of communication so that they learn how to engage with the real world in their chosen field.

Professor Ryan spoke very highly of the Australian Technology Network's industry doctoral training centre in mathematics and statistics, Australia's first industry-collaborative doctoral-training centre, which took its first students this year. Professor Ryan was previously on the program's advisory board and says it is industry based rather than academia based doctoral training—perfect for students to learn how to apply their skills in the workplace.

I note the work that my colleague Senator Madigan has done on the parliamentary manufacturing and farming program and the importance of tying in these young people with expertise in the maths and sciences in terms of innovation for manufacturing, which is so desperately needed for our manufacturing to be able to compete on the global stage—particularly in the context of a ridiculously high Australian dollar. We need that expertise. We need to be able to harness that knowledge and expertise and those skills into our manufacturing sector, and this is one particular way of doing it.

Professor Ryan believes that if there were more training like this we could attract more people to the maths and science disciplines. Professor Ryan said that a CSIRO graduate fellows program that has been running for three years is proving hugely successful with students. This program sees honours graduates in maths and statistics get a taste for researching before they decide whether to go on to study for a PhD or go into the workforce. It is aimed at tackling the low numbers of students studying maths in Australia. Professor Ryan said it was inspiring to hear the students in the program talking about how excited they were about their work.

It is programs just like these that we must continue to support. Research and development is critical to ensuring we continue to advance in these fields, which are essential to Australia being prosperous and competitive on the global stage into the future. As the Health of Australian science report of this year says:

Basic research adds to the bank of intellectual capital on which society draws in order to progress and transform. Applied research develops this intellectual capital into new technologies and innovative processes that directly improve the health, productivity and prosperity of Australia.

I do not think you could sum up the importance of research and development any better than that.

We must continue to invest in research and development of maths and sciences through the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Cooperative Research Centres program. We should also remember the importance of international collaboration. We have great talent here in Australia and, where possible, we should see that talent work with international minds to see us at the forefront of maths and science knowledge instead of slipping further and further behind on the global stage. And let us not forget that investment in research and development will also help ensure that there are jobs waiting for graduates.

We must also consider, as I indicated, our high Australian dollar and the impact it is having on our manufacturing industry. If we had a thriving manufacturing industry it would create much-needed jobs for maths and science graduates. The issue of closing the ever-increasing gap in our mathematical and scientific expertise is complex, and I have only scratched the surface today.

The intent of the policy of this bill was good, but the outcome is not as we had hoped. The government quite rightly identified a problem. The solution it came up with has not worked. The government needs to come up with an alternative solution. There must be a plan B, and I am not so sure that there is. I would be very grateful if, in its response to contributions in the second reading debate on this bill, the government could indicate what practical, viable measures it is proposing as an alternative to this to try to get an increase in maths and science students and graduates.

I reluctantly support this bill, but I am adamant that the issue must stay on the agenda and that we must consider other ways to redress the shortfall which, if ignored, will only get worse. Australia has many bright minds and, in the words of Professor Ian Chubb:

It is antithetical to our national interest to waste talent.