Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Regarding this matter, we did have a meeting of the committee and we did consider the matters that are before us. In that discussion we said that we would take submissions and that we would revisit whether there was a necessity for hearings. I do recognise the fact that the opposition said that they wanted to have hearings. It had been the decision of the committee to delay that, but I'm prepared to reconsider that. As those in this chamber are aware, there are many, many matters that come before the committee that I'm on. I regularly hold hearings. Some people are rather disturbed at the number of hearings that we have on some of the matters we have, but I have a very strong view about making sure, when legislation comes through, that, where we can, we do have hearings, and I'm happy to suggest and recommend, if I'm using the correct wording, that we have a couple of hearings regarding this matter on the Higher Education Support Amendment (Response to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report) Bill 2023.