Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Lundy. I refer the minister to revelations that the government plans to cut its education counsellor posts in Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, who all play an integral role in promoting Australia's $15 billion per year international education industry. Given the government's decision comes after already presiding over a $2½ billion decline in Australia's international education industry since 2009, why is the government causing even further damage to one of Australia's largest service export industries?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The international education sector in Australia has faced significant challenges over the past four years. The government has responded with a major program of reforms for the sector, including the Baird and Knight reviews. These reforms have strengthened the quality of the international education, increased the integrity of the student visa program and improved the competitiveness of the sector. Since the government announced its response to the strategic review of the student visa program back in September 2011, 22 of the 41 recommendations have been implemented. This has included streamlined visa processing arrangements for universities, the introduction of the genuine temporary entrance requirements, reducing financial requirements for high-risk applicants and the establishment of education visa consultative committees. The government is currently giving high priority to developing its response to the assessment level framework review and an announcement is expected shortly. The government will also introduce poststudy work arrangements for eligible graduates of bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees.

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I do not take too many points of order, but Senator Lundy really is answering questions relating to student visas. This question relates to education counsellor posts and not visas.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I do draw the attention of the minister to the question. The minister has 45 seconds remaining.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was hoping to brief the senator on some background to the broader issue. I am not able to provide specific information about the question he asked, but I am certainly happy to take some advice on it.

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Is the minister aware that in his address to the Asia Society last week, Mr James Packer said that the government can and must do more in China and Asia to promote Australia's international education industry? He called on the government to have the courage to deliver on the Asian century white paper by putting its words into action. Can the minister explain why the only international education roadshow for 2013 scheduled by Austrade, the organisation in charge of the promotion of Australia's international education industry, is just in Fiji?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government are committed to supporting Australian students undertaking study experiences in Asia and we have committed $37 million to the AsiaBound Grants Program for students undertaking short or semester length study opportunities for Asian languages. Unlike the opposition, who have threatened to cull the AsiaBound program, we recognise the need for not only more Australians to study in Asia but greater opportunity to build that experience around culture and develop skills and friendships as per the Asian century white paper. In fact, in October last year we announced some $37 million for the AsiaBound Grants Program, which provided funding in the form of $2,000 or $5,000 grants for Australian students undertaking study experiences in Asia for up to 12 months. The funding to commence in the financial year of 2013-14 will support travel and living.

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I did think the question was fairly specific and called for a specific answer. It was: why is the only roadshow scheduled for Fiji?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The question was broader but the minister needs to address the question. The minister has nine seconds remaining.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Obviously I do not have an answer to the specific question about Fiji, but I make the point that we have invested— (Time expired)

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware that, in addition to its current cuts to education counsellor posts, the government does not currently have education counsellors in the key emerging regions of the Middle East and Latin America? This is despite recommendations in the Chaney report for the government to increase and coordinate the promotion of Australia's international education industry in those regions. How can anyone possibly trust this short-sighted government to reverse the decline of the Australian international education industry?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite the senator's best efforts in presenting his question, the fact remains that it is this government that is firmly committed to not only engaging in our region but also continuing to build and strengthen our international education sector and how we promote that around the world. The Asian century white paper spent a great deal of time emphasising the role that we have with our education system as an export industry as well as promoting it not only within our own Asia-Pacific region but also around the world.

I reject the premise of the senator's question, which implied that somehow we are neglecting our responsibilities and our level of engagement across the world in this critical area of our economy. You can see by the figures that it not only continues to grow after a very important process of making sure that our international education system has integrity and that people engaging in it can have the confidence of full— (Time expired)