Senator ELLISON (Special Minister of State) (11:49 AM) —Through the national goals process, we are working towards greater outcomes for Australian students. In relation to those targeted programs that Senator Carr has mentioned, we have not determined the level of funding for those out years because—as Senator Carr knows, this is how it has been done in the past—targeted programs have specific funding for the initial year, and the out years are determined when they arise. That is an absolutely appropriate way to do things, because you look at the need at the time. To say what a targeted program will need specifically in the future can sometimes be fraught with difficulty.

Senator Carr mentioned as an example a targeted program like NALSAS. I will not go over what I have said previously about Asian languages and studies. Suffice it to say, the government have supported that program with further funding and did so when Senator Carr and others were raising a scare campaign that we would not. We stand on our record in relation to these various programs. In relation to the funding per capita for government and non-government students, Senator Carr has failed to tell the people of Australia that there will be a shift in enrolment. To date we have seen a shift in enrolment patterns. There tends to be a greater growth in the non-government sector, so when he cites projection of funding figures for funding per student, he is not taking into account any possible shift in enrolments. As Senator Carr knows, this is a complex area. To use a second-rate crystal ball to see how the funding will go in the future will only mislead people. Senator Carr should be very careful when he makes the sorts of statements that funding per student will necessarily fall or grow in relation to either the government or non-government sector.