Second Reading Speech
Senator McLucas (Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers)I move:
That these bills be now read a second time.
I table the explanatory memoranda and seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard.
Leave granted
The speeches read as follows-
The Bill will introduce a number of streamlining measures to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (the Act) to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and maintain the ongoing integrity of the Government's income contingent loan programs for the higher education and vocational education and training (VET) sectors, namely FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP respectively. It is now apparent that some aspects of these programs require refinement to reflect current higher education and VET sector arrangements.
The Bill will also ensure consistency with other Commonwealth regulatory frameworks including the proposed National VET Regulator expected to be established by April 2011. Furthermore, the Bill will better position the Government to implement its 2010 Budget measures announced in the Skills for Sustainable Growth Strategy, in particular, its commitment to a National Entitlement to a Quality Training Place by 1 July 2011.
FEE-HELP is available to eligible full-fee paying higher education students and VET FEE-HELP is available to eligible full-fee paying and certain state government subsidised VET students studying in higher level education or training, and provides a loan for all or part of a student's tuition costs. This assistance is aimed at encouraging students to take up higher education and higher level skill qualifications by reducing the financial barriers associated with study.
The Bill is aimed at ensuring quality education providers can apply for and be approved as providers under the Act to be able to offer FEE-HELP and VET FEE-HELP assistance. The changes will simplify administrative requirements delivering efficiencies to both providers and the Commonwealth, improve the Commonwealth's ability to manage provider risk, increase the rate of provider approval, and therefore increase the number of students able to access income contingent loans through quality providers in both the higher education and VET sectors.
Ordered that further consideration of the second reading of these bills be adjourned to the first sitting day of the next period of sittings, in accordance with standing order 111.
Ordered that the bills be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day.