Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian people understand that what the government is on about in this space is getting the best possible value for every single dollar contributed by the Australian taxpayer. The Australian people also understand that, if one has the privilege of a tertiary education, over their lifetime that person is likely to earn an extra $1 million. It therefore stands to reason that the truck drivers and other people in our community who pay taxes on a regular basis should not be subsidising from their lower wages the opportunity for others to learn so much more than they do.

This is about equity. This is about securing the future of our universities. This is about ensuring that they will be internationally competitive in the years ahead. What Minister Pyne has been able to achieve is a mechanism whereby the Australian taxpayer can make a lesser contribution but which will still increase the overall funding pool available to universities through opening up spaces and, as a result, making universities even more viable with even more money.

With the free trade agreement and growing relationship between Australia and China, I hope that there will be even more international students coming to Australia, making an even greater contribution to the total pool of money available to tertiary institutions in this country. This is about guaranteeing the future of our universities. That is why organisations after organisations have come out to support us.