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

Very briefly, the government is working quickly to ensure that all of the regulatory aspects of the new VET student loans program are in place and ready to roll as soon as legislation is carried and given assent. We have already finalised and published the intended list of eligible courses. We have already finalised and published the criteria for admission of providers into the interim program. We have already commenced the receipt of applications for assessment of providers seeking to enter that interim program, all of which of course will be then legally finalised as soon as we can bring those regulations about.

As a salutary reminder to the Senate, I will just point out that when I first sought to bring in a range of measures to tighten activities in relation to the operation of the VET FEE-HELP scheme, during that period between 2014 and 2015, we saw enrolment growth that was some 44 per cent higher in August 2015 than in August 2014 as people were seeking to get in ahead of the announced start date for changes. That is why, frankly, it is necessary to make sure that we bring in a rapid-fire start date here, because there are already providers out there who are spruiking that you should get in fast before the end of the VET FEE-HELP scheme and that any delay would only see increased rorting of it.

The CHAIR: The question is that the amendments moved by Senator Griff—(1) to (3) on sheet 8019 and then (1) to (15) on sheet 8028, which is the consequential bill—be agreed to.

Question negatived.