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

I rise to speak on the Australian Human Rights Commission audit report Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy, but before I do so I would like to make some remarks that I did not get the chance to make during the previous debate in this chamber on higher education.

I just want to put on the record very briefly that I have serious concerns about the government's proposed reforms of deregulation in the higher education sector because it will mean that many young Australians will not have the same access to education. I think that is something that ought to be taken into account. It is something where I disagree with the education minister, Christopher Pyne.

I should disclose that about 25 years ago the Hon. Christopher Pyne was a student of mine at what is now the University of South Australia. It was a legal practice course and I can honestly say that I taught Mr Pyne everything that he does not know! But I think that there are real issues in respect of those reforms.

I agree with Ross Gittins, the economics editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, who says that in terms of base economics university fees will rise dramatically and that it will lead to greater rather than less lack of equity in the system—that it will lead to greater inequality. And he does make the point—and I agree with him—that universities are highly inefficient, bureaucratic organisations dominated by administrators. He also says that the safest prediction is that giving unis greater revenue-raising ability will lead them to employ more administrators. I tend to agree with Mr Gittins.

So the government should have gone to the people about this particular proposal at the last election. These are radical reforms, they have not been well considered and I would urge the government to reconsider them.

In relation to the audit report of the Australian Human Rights Commission Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy: the Human Rights Commission does very important work in this regard. There is currently a Senate inquiry that I instigated into the defence abuse issues, which will be dealt with, and I suppose it traverses similar issues in some ways.

Question agreed to.