Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Higher Education Support Amendment (Response to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report) Bill 2023, and I endorse and echo the comments made by Greens Deputy Leader Senator Faruqi. Overall, this is a positive bill. We do welcome the changes to improve access to universities for First Nations students and to support students who might be struggling to complete their units. However, it is a missed opportunity to act on what we consider to be the most urgent issues in higher ed: making university free; wiping student debt, or, at the very least, easing the student debt crisis by abolishing indexation and raising the minimum repayment income to the median wage; raising stipends for PhD students to at least the minimum wage; and of course, crucially, keeping students safe from sexual assault.

The rates of sexual assault on university campuses and in residential halls are horrific. Two hundred and seventy-five students are reporting assaults on campuses across the country, every week—275 students, every week! That was according to the 2021 National Student Safety Survey. That survey was done during COVID lockdowns, when most students weren't even living on campus, so we know the rates are even higher.

We did have Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins's report into this, the Change the course report, in 2017, but it was largely ignored by the universities. We recently had the consent laws inquiry, run by the Senate, which shone a light on sexual violence on campus in particular, and, thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates like End Rape on Campus, Fair Agenda and the STOP Campaign, pressure has mounted. That pressure led, earlier this month, to the education minister's reportedly considering establishing a national independent student ombudsman. Those advocates have long called for an independent taskforce on sexual violence. Whatever you call it, whether it's a taskforce or an ombudsman, it must be robust and it must have four key criteria to actually improve student safety. When I'm in continuation I will regale you all with those four points.

Debate interrupted.