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

I thank Senator Simms for his question.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Carr, I acknowledge that, in relation to the reform we were just asked about, it was a measure that both sides of politics did support. They support it because it is important—in an era where government is spending more than ever before to support more students to access higher education than ever before—that we do also have financial sustainability around our higher education systems.

The income-contingent loans systems that we operate in Australia are among the most generous in the world in terms of the repayment arrangements that exist for individuals. They do provide a very fair and reasonable measure of support for students. Primarily, they provide that support for students' fees, but these measures provide opportunities for students to be able to access that additional assistance to meet other costs that they may not otherwise have the funds to meet in relation to their education. That is of great benefit to them.

It is consistent with what we do in other areas, such as the Trade Support Loans program, which again assists individuals to meet some of the costs of their trade training; but if they are taking a loan out from the government, it does expect that they would repay that. That is consistent with the terms of all of the other income-contingent support loan program, which do have that very generous threshold level—