Senator CROSSIN (9:47 PM) —I rise this evening to commence what will probably be a very short contribution to the debate on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (2006 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2006. Nevertheless, I shall make a start. The bill contains a great array of amendments to existing higher education acts. The major amendments of this bill will amend the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to revise maximum funding amounts. To summarise, it will increase Commonwealth supported places in health workforce courses. I understand that 1,036 additional nursing places will commence next year. The places will increase to 2,735 additional nursing places by 2010. This bill will also see 200 additional new commencing medical places in 2007. These will increase to 2,005 by 2009. There are 431 additional new places in undergraduate nursing courses with a mental health major, commencing next year, and the plan is that this will increase to 1,148 places by 2010. For the record, I add that that is four years away—some will argue it is four years too late.

There will also be funds for 40 new places at the centre of excellence in Islamic studies. It provides an increase in the capital development pool funding to assist new campuses or those undergoing expansion. There are funds for the commercialisation training scheme to increase postgraduate scholarships, to increase maximum payments for the Commonwealth scholarships, to reflect indexation increases for the years 2007 to 2009 and to add a new funding year of 2010. Of course, it revises the FEE-HELP limit.

The Labor Party has given this bill what consideration is possible within the limited time that has been allowed. I know that this bill has been referred to the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee and in general we support this legislation.

Debate interrupted.