Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I would have thought that the member for Perth would want to hear about the Future Fellowships program. I am sure she supports the Future Fellowships program, because I would imagine that UWA—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

You have UWA in your electorate? UWA is probably in the member for Perth's electorate. It might be the member for Curtin's electorate, but I am sure she supports mid-career researchers being supported. And I am pleased to say that in the budget process I was able to secure the funds to keep the Future Fellowships program going into the future.

So, to clear up the first of the member for Adelaide's assertions about cuts to higher education: spending on higher education increases in this budget. The total higher education research international and agency spending over the next four years is $48.3 billion, and it is increasing by $900 million. That is an enormous investment by the federal government in higher education and research because we very much value higher education and research.

We have, of course, as part of the budget introduced higher education reforms. There are eight key elements and I will touch on a couple. I would have hoped that the member for Adelaide would support the expansion of the demand-driven system to the sub-bachelor courses—the diplomas and the associate degrees—because that is a new spending measure that is costing the government money. It is costing us $371.5 million over three years. That will give, typically, low-SES students—first-generation university goers—an opportunity to go to university and to get that pathway into an undergraduate degree that will give them the chance to earn 75 per cent, on average, more over their lifetimes because they have a higher education qualification. So that is just one element of the budget measures. As my time has expired, I might turn to the others the next time I get an opportunity.

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