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Thursday, 3 November 2011
Page: 12694

Mr PYNE (Sturt—Manager of Opposition Business) (10:11): I move the amendment which has been circulated in my name:

(1) Clause 2, page 2 to page 4 (table), omit "The first 1 July that occurs on or after the day this Act receives the Royal Assent" (wherever occurring), substitute "1 January 2013".

I described the purpose of the amendment in the second reading debate. I have not heard from the government that they have decided to accept it. I simply make the point to the minister that it is not a politically partisan amendment; it is an amendment that would ensure six months more time for higher education providers to adjust to a new system. The government knows that the opposition is supporting these reforms and has supported most of the government legislation implementing the Bradley review's recommendations over the last 2½ years. This is another one of those stages of reform and we support it.

But we do make the point that it is being introduced in a tight time framework and we think it would be better for the industry if they had six months more to readjust and, in some cases, change their business models. We therefore ask that the government genuinely consider the amendment that I have moved and take it in the good faith in which it is intended. In the absence of the government's support, I hope that a sufficient number of the crossbenchers will support the amendment, which makes no material difference to the substance of the government's reform but simply gives the industry a six-month window in which they can adjust their arrangements in order to better serve the students that they serve.