Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Brockman, for your advocacy for students from rural and regional Australia. The coalition is committed to providing all Australians with a chance of a university education, no matter where they live. Australians living in regional and remote communities will have greater access to higher education because of the Liberal-Nationals government's announcement today of an additional $134.8 million. Today's announcement will see $34 million for an extra 1,955 scholarships for regional and remote students, more than doubling the 1,200 scholarships currently available; $92.5 million to support more students at five regionally focused universities; and $7.5 million to support 16 regional study hubs in 22 locations, in addition to the $16.7 million that the government has already committed, as well as the development of a national regional, rural and remote higher education strategy to drive increased participation in postsecondary-level education as part of our response to the recommendations from the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education.

Our government's total additional new funding for regional higher education is now $400 million over the next five years. It's an important announcement for universities that are outside our capital cities and, importantly, for young people who want to come and study in the regions. As chair of the Regional Universities Network, Professor Greg Hill, said:

A one-size-fits all policy for higher education does not meet the needs of regional Australia or the nation.

Place-based initiatives, such as those announced, are needed to make a difference.

He also said:

RUN congratulates the Government on this initiative that demonstrates that it is listening to the voice of regional Australia in the national interest.