Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to go back to Mr Gonski but in deference to Senator Seselja I will pursue those issues. The chair of Universities Australia, Professor Sandra Harding, the Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University, has said that the status quo is not an option. The Universities Australia statement said, further:

Either the status quo of ongoing inadequate investment, or further cuts without deregulation will condemn Australia's great university system to inevitable decline, threaten our international reputation and make it increasingly difficult for universities to meet the quality expectations of our students.

As the University of Western Australia said:

The status quo is not feasible as it will over time erode the quality of our education and research activities—not a good position to be in when our nearest Asian competitors are investing so heavily in these areas.