Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank senators for their contributions to this debate. The bill will support students through fairer grandfathering provisions and the Job-Ready Graduate scheme and will support our rural, remote and very remote communities by encouraging our doctors and nurse practitioners to provide services in those areas. The bill will also put in place a scheme for eligible doctors and nurse practitioners to have their HELP debts reduced or wiped if they live and work in rural, remote and very remote areas of Australia. This is a policy which we have continued from the former government. We want to make sure in rural and remote communities they have access to health services, and it makes sense to continue this important measure. We expect to support around 850 medical practitioners a year in those areas. Again, I thank senators for their contribution, and I commend this bill to the chamber.