House of Representatives

Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Honourable Julie Bishop MP)

Higher Education Legislation Amendment (2007 Measures No. 1) Bill 2007

Outline

These Government amendments correct drafting errors in the Bill as introduced in the House of Representatives on 28 February 2007. These are consequential amendments necessitated by the introduction of new terminology by items 25-49 and 52 of Schedule 1 to the Bill. The new terminology was introduced to implement the revised Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. The amendments will ensure consistent use of the new terminology in the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

Financial impact

Nil.

Notes on amendments

Amendment 1 - Schedule 1, page 3 (after line 8), after item 1, item 1A

Amendment 1 repeals section 3-25 and replaces that section with proposed new section 3-25 to reflect the amendments made by items 25-49 of the Bill. The proposed new section is an information section which sets out the purpose of Chapter 6 which is to provide for approval of universities, self-accrediting entities and non-self accrediting entities to operate in external Territories, and for accreditation of courses of study in those Territories.

Amendment 2 - Schedule 1, item 12, page 4 (lines 23 and 24), item 12

Amendment 2 deletes and replaces item 12 with new item 12 to reflect the amendment made by item 52 of the Bill. Item 12 amends paragraph 19-20(b) by deleting the words "an authorised accreditation authority listed on the Australian Qualifications Framework Register" and replacing those words with the words "a government accreditation authority".