Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

In closing this debate tonight, all the minister has really outlined is the desire of this government to pass these costs on to students, particularly full-fee-paying students. Of course, the cost of regulation, when it's passed on to them, will naturally end up coming out of their pockets. In some cases, this will include students who pay, in effect, 20 per cent interest to the government for their fees. In turn, they will pay 20 per cent interest for the cost of regulation. It's completely false for the minister to argue that the impact on students would be nil. All that the government's explanations have done tonight is reassert the desire of the government to pass on these charges. Indeed, the additional addendum they've tabled tonight said:

A decision to waive collection of the annual charge for a period of time or for a particular class of higher education providers, could not be taken lightly …