Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I think the expectation, given that Australian public universities are publicly funded institutions established by state and territory law with a fundamental role in international research and partnerships, is that they would be included. They enter arrangements with foreign entities that do have the potential to affect Australia's foreign relations and foreign policy. But, as has been said in discussions—including those that I have had and Minister Tehan has had—we do expect the majority of routine engagement between Australian universities and their foreign counterparts to continue, notwithstanding the requirements of the bill to notify the minister of certain arrangements, as we have said previously.

Importantly, I want to reassure those opposite and those in the chamber that the bill is not intended to impede the beneficial business of universities with their foreign counterparts. Let me reinforce that it is expected that much of the routine business of universities will proceed as normal.