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

The government will not be supporting these amendments. Students have been calling for changes to the student services and amenities fees, and it was a recommendation of the Universities Accord. Over a third of universities already meet this requirement. This includes those in Western Australia that are required to provide 50 per cent of SSAF to lead student organisations under WA state legislation. To suggest that unis on the west coast are already above that—we're seeking to legislate—but that other universities cannot achieve 40 per cent is wrong. Transitional arrangements have been included to support those providers that need the time to meet the new requirements. They will be able to write to the secretary of the Department of Education. Table A universities will have up to three years to transition and non-table A providers will have up to five years.