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Crossbench senator Rex Patrick . Photo : Lukas Coch
This bill cannot be salvaged … anyone who thinks so is kidding themselves .
Green light for bill
Senate committee backs uni fee reform amid strong criticism .
By Dallas Bastian
A senate committee report has recommended the government ’ s job-ready graduates bill be passed with the contingency that it is reviewed after two years .
The committee ’ s chair , Liberal senator James McGrath , wrote that the bill will “ deliver policy and funding certainty for the sector ”.
But Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said the report “ does not fairly convey the level of dissent to the bill heard by the committee ”.
“ It fails to acknowledge key organisations do not support the bill or would only support it with enormous amendments ,” Faruqi said .
She called on crossbenchers to “ fully consider the awful impacts of this austerity package for students , staff , universities and the communities they serve ”.
In the report , Labor senators called the reforms “ an act of economic and cultural vandalism ”.
They held that the bill would deliver “ less money , not more , for ‘ job ready ’ courses , creating a clear disincentive for universities to expand enrolments in the very areas the government says are a priority ”.
The Labor senators also expressed concern that the changes would create further distress for year 11 and 12 students after an already difficult year , undermine the quality of university teaching and have a significantly worse impact on women and First Nations people .
They believe it to be so deeply flawed that it cannot be repaired with amendments .
Hundreds recently marched across the University of Sydney to protest the planned reforms . A second protest took place at the University of Wollongong .
USyd ’ s Student Representative Council president Liam Donohoe told NCA
NewsWire that there would be more protests until the bill is squashed .
“ We ’ re going to continue fighting until we win , and even if we lose , we ’ ll probably still be fighting ,” Donohoe said .
McGrath said the committee was aware of mixed views on the accuracy of the modelling behind predicted increases in university places , the effectiveness of price signals in incentivising student choice , the impact on disadvantaged groups , and the impact on university research and STEM teaching , among other concerns .
“ But based on the information presented , the committee is satisfied that the proposed changes are appropriate and would help to equip students with the skills and experience needed to succeed in a difficult labour market ,” he added .
In the senate committee ’ s report , South Australian crossbench senator Rex Patrick gave perhaps the most scathing review of the bill , calling it a “ crude and blunt ” instrument that will likely “ do much harm to the interests of students and universities at a time when the tertiary education sector is reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ”.
“ This bill cannot be salvaged ,” Patrick said . “ Anyone who thinks so is kidding themselves , or worse , being quite disingenuous .
“ It ’ s not the case of Minister Tehan sitting the exam again , he ’ s got to go back and repeat the course .” ■
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