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

I indicate that the government is pleased to support Senator Bernardi's amendment. The government has, in various previous higher education reform proposals, sought to reduce the extent to which the loan fee applies. Contrary to what Senator Hanson-Young implied just then, the amendment moved by Senator Bernardi will in fact reduce the amount of student debt that students at these institutions take on. This is confined specifically to, essentially, the table B universities and will treat their students on par with those public table A universities.