2016-2017

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (A More Sustainable, Responsive and Transparent Higher Education System) Bill 2017

 

 

(Ms McGowan)

(1)     Clause 2, page 2 (after table item 9), insert:

 

9A.   Schedule 4A

The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

 

[national regional higher education strategy]

(2)     Schedule  3 , page 40 (after line 7) , after item  35 , insert:

35A  At the end of section 154-15

Add:

             (3)  In working out a person’s repayable debt for an * income year for the purposes of section 154-20, ignore any part of the person’s * accumulated HELP debt referred to in paragraph 154-1(1)(b) in relation to that income year that relates to a unit of study undertaken on a regional campus, unless the person’s * repayment income for the income year is $56,205 or more.

             (4)  A unit of study is undertaken on a regional campus by a person if:

                     (a)  the person is enrolled at a particular campus to undertake the unit of study; and

                     (b)  either:

                              (i)  during the year in which the unit of study is undertaken, a regional loading was payable to the higher education provider in respect of the campus; or

                             (ii)  the Minister determines, under subsection (5), that this subparagraph applies to the campus for the year in which the unit of study is undertaken.

             (5)  The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine that subparagraph (4)(b)(ii) applies to a campus for a year if the Minister is satisfied that, during that year, the campus has an above average number of students whose permanent home (as defined in section 19A of the Social Security Act 1991 ) is in a regional area.

[delay for units studied at regional providers]

(3)     Page 54 (after line 5), after Schedule 4, insert:

Schedule 4A — National regional higher education strategy

   

Higher Education Support Act 2003

1  After section 238-7

Insert:

238-7A   National regional higher education strategy

             (1)  The Minister must cause to be prepared a strategy to be known as the national regional higher education strategy.

             (2)  The strategy must cover, but is not limited to, the following matters:

                     (a)  strategies to support the provision of higher education in regional areas, including a review of regional loading;

                     (b)  strategies to increase the representation of regional students in higher education;

                     (c)  strategies to address the sustainability of rural communities and the declining population of young p eople in regional centres;

                     (d)  strategies to provide greater support for those transitioning between secondary and higher education, including support to stay in a regional area or to relocate from a regional area to an urban area;

                     (e)  strategies to ensure there is recognition of the workforce and economic development requirements of the community in developing higher education policy.

                      (f)  strategies to support the role of regionally based higher education providers in creating diverse and resilient regional economies, taking into consideration other relevant policies and programs.

             (3)  The Minister must cause a copy of the strategy to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after 1 January 2018.

             (4)  The Minister must cause the strategy prepared under subsection (1), or that strategy as previously revised under this subsection, to be revised every 4 years.

             (5)  The Minister must cause a copy of a revised strategy under subsection (4) to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 4 years after the previous strategy or revised strategy was tabled under this section.

[national regional higher education strategy]