HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT AMENDMENT BILL 2009
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 04:10
DARREN CHEESEMAN SPEECH ON HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT AMENDMENT BILL 2009Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Bill.
Now I know I probably sound a bit like a stuck record Mr. Speaker, but I again point out that this is another higher education Bill before us, and we have had so many.
I would like a dollar for every higher education Bill we have produced since coming to Government.
It shows just how committed the Rudd Government is to producing a first class higher education system, and to fixing up the mess left behind by the coalition.
I again congratulate the Minister on her reforming zeal, and her work rate on these matters.
Mr Speaker, this Bill provides for minor amendments to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA).
There are two important aspects to the changes proposed here.
Firstly, amending the tuition assurance arrangements for both the FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP Assistance Schemes, to remove the requirement for higher education providers and VET providers to have tuition assurance arrangements in place at the date of application for approval.
And secondly, we are amending the VET provider approval provisions of Schedule 1A of the HESA to allow the Minister or her delegate to accept recommendations regarding an applicant's compliance with the VET quality and accountability requirements, from an approved national, State or Territory registering or accrediting authority.
Mr Speaker, higher education and VET providers offer assistance to students through the Commonwealth's FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP Assistance Schemes.
These schemes aim to reduce financial barriers to study and training, by providing full fee-paying students access to income contingent loans to pay their tuition fees.
From 1 July 2009, VET FEE-HELP assistance will also be made available to Victorian Government subsidised students.
In other words, they will get a fair crack of the whip Mr. Speaker.
Really, it is about safeguarding students' commitment and investments in their course so that in the event a higher education provider or a VET provider ceases to deliver a course of study in which students are enrolled, students have the choice to either transfer their enrolment to a different provider offering the same course, or to have their tuition fees refunded.
So it is a safeguarding measure Mr. Speaker.
As I say, I think this reform brings out the level of attention to detail of this Government, and how we are doing our best to make sure no one falls through the cracks, or are disadvantaged by untoward circumstances.
Under the current arrangements, paragraphs 16-25(c) and 6(d) of Schedule 1A of the HESA require applicants to demonstrate they have met the requirement to have tuition assurance arrangements in place at the date they make their application for approval as a higher education or VET provider.
This can result in delays in the application, assessment and approval process, as well as imposing an additional financial burden on applicants well before they are approved as providers and begin offering assistance to students.
It is about trying to make it easier to study.
It is about getting rid of the barriers and frustration people have to face if they make the decision to study.
I have to say Mr Speaker, under the previous Government, all of these things were never tackled.
The Howard government was in my view a very lazy Government.
As long as they get their key ideological legislative pieces through, the rest didn't matter.
The higher education system can be a very frustrating place when you are trying to access it Mr Speaker.
There are a lot of hoops to jump through, particularly in relation to applications and financial support measures.
What Labor is trying to do is make things easier, and to make sure there are not hidden pitfalls that can crop up that derail a person's study.
The amendments will allow applicants additional time to put tuition assurance arrangements in place, as they will not be required to demonstrate they have met the requirements unless and until they have met all the other conditions associated with the application process.
The decision to approve an application will still be contingent upon the fulfilment of the tuition assurance requirements.
Legislative instruments under both Schemes will be amended to provide further direction to applicants regarding the operation of the requirements prior to approval.
In addition, the Bill provides for a new paragraph 11(2)(b) of Schedule 1A of the HESA, to allow for the Minister or her delegate to be satisfied that an application for VET provider approval meets one or all of the VET quality and accountability requirements, if a body identified in the VET Provider Guidelines makes such a recommendation to the Minister or her delegate.
Amendments will be made to the Scheme's legislative instruments to identify relevant national, State or Territory registration and accreditation agencies able to make such recommendations for the purposes of the VET provider approval process.
Under the current arrangements, there is no such discretion for the Minister or her delegate to accept recommendations for the purposes of making a decision to approve an application.
For example, there is currently no provision for the Minister to rely on the outcomes of processes conducted by national or state-based regulatory agencies when making her decision.
Mr Speaker, as I said, this Bill is about developing an effective, efficient, responsive higher education system.
It is about safeguarding individuals.
It is about encouraging people to study.
It is about making it easier for people to study.
It is about making rules that make it easier for institutions to operate in.
This is another Bill where the Rudd Government is building a first class higher education system for the future.
It follows measures to increase student support.
It follows, measures to financially support young people from less well off families to study.
It follows measures in the Bradley Report that will build a better higher education system.
And it is another step in Labor preparing Australia's education system for the 21st Century.
I commend the Bill to the House Mr Speaker.
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