Division
The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2026-02-09.133.1) to agree with the main idea of [the bill](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7416). In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a second time. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2526/26bd038), which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library: > *The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 (the Bill) provides for the establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to provide stewardship of the higher education system.* > > *The Bill enshrines a National Tertiary Education Objective (NTEO), to which ATEC must have regard in performing its functions.* > > *Establishing ATEC was a recommendation of the Australian Universities Accord, although not all components of the recommendations are included in the Bill. The Minister would appoint three commissioners, including a First Nations Commissioner. At least one must have experience with vocational education and training (VET). ATEC will be assisted by the Department of Education.* > > *As well as the NTEO, and specific criteria in the Bill, ATEC must have regard to the Minister’s short-term and long-term strategic priorities when performing functions or exercising powers.* > > *ATEC is to provide advice and recommendations on a number of prescribed areas and/or upon request by the Minister. It would also provide:* > > * *an annual report on the state of the tertiary education system* > > * *advice and recommendations on the Higher Education Standards Framework.* > > *ATEC would establish and monitor performance through mission based compacts with Table A and B providers, which will outline how the provider’s purpose, values and goals align with national, state and local priorities, planning a
House of Representatives, 2026-02-09. affirmative: ayes 95, noes 39.
Question
The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debate/?id=2026-02-09.133.1) to agree with the main idea of [the bill](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7416). In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a second time. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bills digest](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2526/26bd038), which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library: > *The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 (the Bill) provides for the establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to provide stewardship of the higher education system.* > > *The Bill enshrines a National Tertiary Education Objective (NTEO), to which ATEC must have regard in performing its functions.* > > *Establishing ATEC was a recommendation of the Australian Universities Accord, although not all components of the recommendations are included in the Bill. The Minister would appoint three commissioners, including a First Nations Commissioner. At least one must have experience with vocational education and training (VET). ATEC will be assisted by the Department of Education.* > > *As well as the NTEO, and specific criteria in the Bill, ATEC must have regard to the Minister’s short-term and long-term strategic priorities when performing functions or exercising powers.* > > *ATEC is to provide advice and recommendations on a number of prescribed areas and/or upon request by the Minister. It would also provide:* > > * *an annual report on the state of the tertiary education system* > > * *advice and recommendations on the Higher Education Standards Framework.* > > *ATEC would establish and monitor performance through mission based compacts with Table A and B providers, which will outline how the provider’s purpose, values and goals align with national, state and local priorities, planning a
How each member voted
Per-member votes are not present in this static export. Consult the original division record.
Related bills
Only formal divisions leave a per-member record. A procedural vote is not necessarily a vote for or against a bill.