Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Wong and others might like to know that it is not just the Regional Universities Network, not just Universities Australia, not just the TAFE Directors Network; indeed, various Labor figures have urged the opposition to engage in this reform debate. Former Treasurer and former higher education minister John Dawkins has urged the Labor Party to engage in this debate; the architect in many ways of the modern university system has urged Labor to engage. Maxine McKew has urged them to engage. Let me quote from The Australian, under the heading 'Dawkins backs uni reforms':

The father of the modern university system, former Labor minister John Dawkins, has backed fee deregulation and urged the party not to lock itself out of sensible reforms.

But if John Dawkins does not do it for those opposite, what about Gareth Evans? He, too, has backed the reforms. So we would say to those on board, 'Listen to Mr Dawkins! Listen to Mr Evans! Come on board!' (Time expired)