Reform bill referred to Senate committee

4 September 2014

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The government’s higher education reform package has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for consideration and report by 28 October.

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The Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014 would deregulate tuition fees, break the public university monopoly on teaching subsidies, shift more university costs from government to students, and make students pay more and earlier on their tuition loans.

The bill is facing a difficult passage through the Senate, with Labor and the Greens implacably opposed to the bill in its entirety and with Clive Palmer confirming the Palmer United Party’s  continuing opposition.

Meanwhile, two crossbench senators say they are becoming increasingly frustrated with the way they are being treated by the Federal Government.

Former DLP and now independent senator John Madigan, said the Coalition rammed through changes to the mining tax and superannuation without time for proper consideration of the legislation.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon said the Government is acting without integrity and is eroding trust, and that could lead to greater dysfunction in Parliament.

An attempt by Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield to get an earlier reporting date (22 September) failed 34 votes to 26, which means all the cross benchers vote with Labor and the Greens.