Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Bilyk—you're right. In his budget reply, Mr Dutton did say he would work with universities to set a cap on foreign students, and he has been saying that month after month after month. He has been saying, 'We need to set a cap on international students, we need to bring migration levels down,' but what do you know? We get to the second last week of the year and he says, 'no,' because the only thing he can say is 'no'. It doesn't matter what it is—if it's cost-of-living relief, it's 'no'. If it's housing, it's 'no'. If it's caps on migration, it's 'no'. If it's caps on international student numbers, it's 'no'. Every time, it doesn't matter what the measure is, he says 'no' because he is reckless and arrogant and Australian people are starting to work him out.

At a time when Australians are doing it so tough, all Mr Dutton can offer is 'no' and no solutions. He wants to make things worse, even if it means contradicting the very same things that he has been going on about for months. We know that regional universities in particular want to see these changes made, and all those people over there who like put their RMs on and get out in the regions—go and explain that decision. It's people like you two in particular. (Time expired)