Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, representing the Minister for Education. Can the minister advise the Senate what opportunities the government's higher education reforms create for students from low socio-economic status backgrounds?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank Senator Seselja for the question, because the opportunities that the government's higher education reform package create for students from low socio-economic backgrounds are a very, very important aspect of the initiative that the Minister for Education is taking, especially in regional areas. For example, we know it is very important to encourage students to stay on to complete secondary education and for many, many more to go on to higher education than is currently the case. This is a package that creates real opportunities. For example, there is going to be no limit on how many students can be offered diploma courses. These are possibly life-changing opportunities for young people in particular, for people who are in mid-career and want to change from one career to another or for people who really need a pathway into higher education. In fact, around the country over 80,000 additional students a year will be supported by the Commonwealth by 2018 as a result of these reforms—and very many of those will come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We also have in the package the Commonwealth scholarship scheme, which has the potential to be the largest scholarship scheme in Australia's history for supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those from regional Australia. I do not understand why those opposite are just gratuitously opposed to the extraordinary opportunity that such a scholarship scheme could provide. It can provide help with living costs or help with other expenses. This is a package that really spreads opportunity for students across Australia—and with enormous potential for people from low socio-economic backgrounds. Those opposite are deniers. They are negative, they have nothing else to say. They deny there is anything positive at all about the reform approach, which is very sad. That argument of theirs is demolished by the facts, and this is an extraordinary opportunity for Australian students. (Time expired)

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for the excellent answer, and ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate of what other benefits the government's reforms have for students, including for students in vocational education and training and with non-university higher education providers, including TAFEs?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think the aspects around the vocational education and training opportunities within the package are very, very important. For example, we have a package here that strengthens the Higher Education Loan Program. No student needs to pay a cent up-front, and no-one needs to repay a cent until they are earning over $50,000 a year. The bill also abolishes the 20 per cent loan fee which full-fee-paying students in vocational education and training currently have to pay to borrow under VET FEE-HELP.

Senator Cormann interjecting—

.Minister Cormann is exactly right: how is that not a positive opportunity for all those students participating in the VET sector? Abolishing that VET loan fee will benefit around 80,000 VET students nationally each year and help them on average by $1,600. That is a major difference. If we are able to remove the loan fees, when the legislation progresses, it will particularly benefit low-SES students and ensure that all students are treated fairly— (Time expired)

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister apprise the Senate of any recent commentary on the need for the government's reform package?

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Senator Carr does not get his question in, perhaps he could skype it in like Senator Conroy does for preselections! As senators know, we have leaders across Australia in the higher education field who are urging the passage of the government's higher education reform package, with amendments. Universities Australia, the Regional Universities Network, the Australian Technology Network of universities, the Innovative Research Universities, the Group of Eight, David Gonski and many others are saying that the reforms are essential.

Recently, the Vice-Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, Professor Greg Craven, wrote an article, 'Four reasons to back uni reforms'—and, incidentally, the ACU has recently appointed an exceptional new chancellor in the Hon. John Fahey. Professor Craven says these reforms are both necessary and equitable. He concludes:

Rejecting the package wholesale is not a vote for university equity. It is vote against reality.

(Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.