Bill
Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017
lapsed, as at 2019-07-01. Education and Training portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Education and Training
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2017-05-11
- second reading — 2017-05-11
- second reading — 2017-09-12
- second reading — 2017-09-13
- second reading — 2017-09-13
- committee — 2017-09-13
- third reading — 2017-09-13
- introduced — 2017-09-14
- second reading — 2017-09-14
- other — 2019-07-01
Divisions
- Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Speed things along — 2017-09-13, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 74, noes 68
- Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Disagree with bill — 2017-09-13, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 64, noes 74
- Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Agree with bill's main idea — 2017-09-13, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 74, noes 66
- The majority voted against an [amendment](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fr5869_amend_e05af329-97e2-467c-a8b7-bcc7a6ede9e0%22;rec=0) to the [bill](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r5869), which would have created a national regional higher education strategy. ### What was the amendment? Independent MP for Indi [Cathy McGowan](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/indi/cathy_mcgowan), who proposed the amendment, explained that: > *This amendment is designed to create a financial incentive for students to study at regional universities by creating a HELP-debt-repayment-free period for students studying at regional campuses. Under the amendment, regional students would have a HELP-debt-repayment-free period on the units completed at a regional campus until they reach the $56,205 threshold under the government's proposed legislation. Repayments would then continue as per the government's proposed legislation. The HELP-debt-repayment-free period would apply to students attending a campus that receives a Commonwealth Grant Scheme regional loading or that the minister has identified as having an above-average number of students whose home address is at a regional location.* — 2017-09-13, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 68, noes 73
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2017-05-11.
This bill would change how higher education is funded, run and overseen in Australia.
It would raise the maximum amount students pay, cut some government grants, and tie some funding to university performance.
From 2018, student contributions would increase by 1.8% each year for four years, reaching a total 7.5% rise by 2021.
- Rebalances the cost of higher education among taxpayers, providers and students.
- Raises maximum student contributions by 1.8% annually for four years from 2018.
- Applies a 2.5% per year efficiency dividend to Commonwealth Grant Scheme grants in 2018 and 2019.
- Extends medical student loading to veterinary science and dentistry units from 2018.
- Introduces performance-contingent funding, with up to 7.5% of a provider's CGS funding tied to meeting requirements from January 2018.
- Replaces current HELP repayment thresholds and rates with new ones, with indexation using CPI from 1 July 2019.
Students, higher education providers, Australian permanent residents, New Zealand citizens, and holders of humanitarian visas.
Sources
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billhome