Higher Education and Research Reform Bill 2014

Summary

Amends the: Higher Education Support Act 2003 to: provide demand-driven funding to diploma, advanced diploma and associate degree courses and extend government subsidies to bachelor and sub-bachelor courses at private universities and non-university higher education providers; remove the maximum student contribution amounts; remove the maximum student contribution amounts that providers can charge students in Commonwealth supported places; merge the FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP loan schemes, including the removal of the FEE-HELP loan fee and lifetime limits, HECS-HELP upfront discount and HELP voluntary repayment bonus; establish a Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme to support disadvantaged students; maintain the CPI indexation rate as the HELP indexation rate; provide for HECS indexation relief for primary carers of children up to five years of age; lower the minimum repayment threshold for HELP debts; enable providers to charge Research Training Scheme students capped tuition fees; remove the lifetime limits on VET FEE-HELP loans and the VET FEE-HELP loan fee; replace the Higher Education Grants Index with the CPI; update the name of the University of Ballarat to Federation University Australia; enable certain New Zealand citizens to be eligible for HELP assistance; Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to provide that the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency may determine when fees may be refunded, and disclose certain information; Higher Education Support Act 2003 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to discontinue the HECS-HELP benefit; Australian National University Act 1991, Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to make consequential amendments; and Australian Research Council Act 2001 to enable additional investment in research through the Future Fellowships Scheme, apply indexation, apply a one-off efficiency dividend, and add an additional forward estimate amount. Also: amends the Commonwealth Grants Scheme Guidelines 2012, Other Grants Guidelines (Education) 2012 and Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2012; and repeals the Higher Education (Designated Courses of Study) Specification 2011 and a determination made under subsection 169-20(1) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 [FRLI No. F2007B01092].

Progress

House of Representatives
Introduced and read a first time	03 Dec 2014
Second reading moved	03 Dec 2014
Second reading debate	09 Feb 2015
Second reading debate	10 Feb 2015
Second reading debate	11 Feb 2015
Second reading debate	24 Feb 2015
Second reading debate	25 Feb 2015
Second reading agreed to	25 Feb 2015
Third reading agreed to	25 Feb 2015

Senate
Introduced and read a first time	02 Mar 2015
Second reading moved	02 Mar 2015
Second reading debate	17 Mar 2015
Second reading negatived	17 Mar 2015

Documents and transcripts

Text of bill

First reading

Explanatory memoranda

Explanatory memorandum

Regulation impact statement

Supplementary explanatory memorandum

Transcript of speeches

Proposed amendments

Senate

Government [sheet EH169]

Schedules of amendments

No documents at present

Notes

Referred to Committee (12/02/2015): Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee; Committee report (13/03/2015)

Helpful information

Text of bill

First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament
Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This version of the bill is then considered by the second house.
As passed by both houses: Final text of bill agreed to by both the House of Representatives and the Senate which is presented to the Governor-General for assent.

Explanatory memoranda

Explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and provides an explanation of the content of the introduced version (first reading) of the bill.
Supplementary explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains amendments proposed by the government to the bill.
Revised explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains the amended version (third reading) of the bill. It supersedes the explanatory memorandum.

Proposed amendments

Circulated by members and senators when they propose to make changes to the bill. For details about the outcome of proposed amendments please refer to either the Votes and Proceedings (House of Representatives) or the Journals (Senate).

Schedules of amendments

Schedules of amendments list amendments agreed to by the second house are communicated to the first house for consideration. Subsequent action by either house may also be included in a schedule.