Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

This Sunday will mark the first anniversary of the 2013 election that saw the end of a hapless period of Labor government—a period marked by division and disunity; a period marked by dysfunctional policy, as we have seen this week, writ large and highlighted by the release of the report of the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program, and a period marked by mounting government spending, record deficits and record debt. Twelve months on, this Sunday, this government stands here proudly delivering on our promises—promises to get the budget back under control, to build the roads of the 21st century, to stop the boats and control Australia's borders, to axe the carbon tax and to axe the mining tax. We have seen this week further progress on the last of those key promises—axing the mining tax has been delivered for all Australians.

We heard in question time today questions from those opposite who continue to go on about the impact of the mining tax package. The impact for all Australians of the mining tax package just passed is that we will greatly reduce this country's future level of debt. We will reduce that debt enormously because over the forward estimates the package the Senate passed this week will save some $10 billion. Over the next decade that package will save some $50 billion. The legacy the Labor Party left this country of $25,000 debt for every man, woman and child is being tackled and is being tackled through reforms just like that one. We are continuing with further reforms—not just those to get the budget under control but reforms to make Australia more competitive. Those reforms apply right across the economy, but they apply, importantly, in education as well—another sector those opposite asked questions about today and an area that Senator McLucas was trying to talk about before. I note that Senator McLucas's contribution seemed to focus on whether we have a minister for regional health. She seems worried about titles on business cards, and there seems to be constant carping from those opposite about that. We on this side are worried about policies and reforms and things that make a difference to all Australians.

In the higher education reform space, we are implementing a suite of packages that will make Australia's higher education system more resilient to increasing global competition for higher education dollars and will ensure Australians have the best possible access to the broadest possible range of education opportunities. Contrary to the lies coming from those opposite, funding for higher education, including the total of Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding for student places and regional loadings, is going up under the coalition government. We are spending more on higher education because we will be supporting more students having more opportunities.

For many disadvantaged students, the most important of the reforms that are proposed perhaps will be the support we will put in place for an uncapped number of diplomas, advanced diplomas and associate degrees, creating enormous opportunities for students to access taxpayer support for places that they have never before had support for. It will create opportunities for an estimated 80,000 additional students, many of whom will likely come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom may come from regional Australia, and all of whom will benefit from this important reform.

It sits alongside the deregulation opportunities in these reforms that exist for universities that will allow them to focus on specialising and doing what they can do best. It will ensure that we have universities operating among the best in the world for years to come, as well as ensuring we have universities choosing to specialise in delivering key courses like nursing to the best of their abilities by creating those places for students into the future.

Importantly, every Australian needs to understand that as a result of these reforms no-one will have to pay a dollar up-front. There is no change to the way the HECS scheme works in that regard, and no-one will have to repay their loans until they are earning over $50,000 a year. This is the type of reform that will set Australia up for the future. (Time expired)