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

Our government's reforms ensure that we can maintain the uncapped demand-driven system of providing undergraduate university places; we can ensure we maintain taxpayer subsidised places for every single undergraduate student who is admitted by a university

That should be welcomed. It should be welcomed by those opposite, because none less than the former Prime Minister Ms Gillard in her book My Story cites the uncapping of university places as 'a particularly proud moment, a particularly proud decision to unchain Australian universities.'

Our reforms move even further in the unchaining of Australian universities. They lift the shackles in relation to pathway courses and diploma courses. They ensure there will be more opportunities for more students, particularly more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, to take advantage of those pathway places. But it is acknowledged that current funding models are unsustainable. Our reforms ensure that we address that unsustainability.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

The opposition, though, offers no alternative—except for Senator Carr. Senator Carr has said:

The demand driven system is for a finite period.

That is not what the legislation says. That is not what Ms Gillard says about her proud achievement. That is not what universities believe to be the case. Our reforms are about trying to maintain the fine achievements that Ms Gillard speaks of. It seems that Senator Carr wants to come along and undo those reforms by denying university students their right to a place. (Time expired)