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

There are many private entities—private individuals and private businesses—which, as we know all too well, enter into arrangements with foreign governments. But this bill is directed to government entities and to state and territory local governments. That is the very specific and clear scope of the bill and, therefore, private universities are not covered.

There is more than one private university in Australia. As I said, they are encouraged to engage with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on these issues. We have a good relationship with them. The frameworks that relate to foreign interference, to defence exports and to a range of other international issues are ones that private universities are also subject to as part of the normal business of government.